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1573236
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 1833
143 4823
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
OF THE
HUGUENOT SOLOMON LEGARE,
AND OF
HIS FAMILY.
EXTENDING DOWN TO THE FOURTH GENERATION
OF HIS DESCENDANTS. f
ALSO,
REMINISCENCES OF THE REVOLUTIOXARY
STRUGGLE WITH GREAT BRITAIN.
INCLUDING INCIDENTS AND SCENES WHICH OCCURRED IN
CHARLESTON, ON JOHN'S ISLAND, AND IN THE
SURROUNDING COUNTRY OF SOUTH
CAROLINA DURING THE WAR.
COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY ONE OF HIS GREAT-GREAT-
GRANDDAUGHTERS,
MRS. ELIZA C. K. FLUDD,
AND PRINTED BY SUBSCRIPTION.
CHARLESTON, S. C:
Edward Perry & Co., Printers and Stationers.
No. 217 Meeting Street, Opp. Charleston Hotel.
1886.
3
*>•"
*A
9
1573236
TABLE OF CONTEXTS.
v -\ PAGE.
Preface ^
Biographical Sketches of the Huguenot Solomon Legare and
of his Parents \ 19
Origin of the Old Circular Church in Charleston, and its es-
tablishment in A. D. 1686 27
Genealogical and Biographical Sketches of the Huguenot
Legare's Nine Children 43
Genealogical and Biographical Sketches of some of the Hugue-
not Legare's Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren 53
Reminiscences of the Revolutionary Struggl \ w ith Great Britain 81
The Defeat of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown ; close of the War,
and Return of the Exiles to their Homes in South Caro-
lina 129
Closing Scenes in the Lives of some of the Caravan Party of
Returned Exiles 131
PREFACE.
During the season of civil and religious persecution
which immediately preceded and followed the Revolu-
tion of the Edict ofXantes, A. D. 1685, in the reign of
Louis XIYth — when the sword of Papal authority
again perfidiously soaked the soil of Southern France
with the blood of the Protestants — great numbers of
the best citizens escaped from France, and fled for
safety to the Protestant countries of Europe, and
not a few of these found refuse on the then newly
settled shores of Carolina. Dr. David Ramsay, in
his History of South Carolina, gives some account
of these refugees, and among the names of the Hu-
guenot families there mentioned, is that of Legare
as a refugee from persecution in France.
The persecuting authorities of France having per-
fidiously broken their treatv with the Protestants,
compel Led the Huguenots either to forsake their Bi-
bles and recant their faith in the teachings of the
Word of God, or else to be tortured and murdered.
After the revocation of the Edict of Xantes, the Hu-
guenots were even forbidden to leave France, and
commanded to remain within the Kingdom, that they
might thus become exterminated; and all who were
caught attempting to make their escape were cruelly
butchered in cold blood. Yet, notwithstanding all
these efforts to prevent the persecuted Huguenots
from leaving France, it is computed that at least five
hundred thousand escaped the wholesale massacre
and found asylums of rest within the Protestant coun-
tries of Europe and America.
"Emigration now attained gigantic proportions.
In spite of cunning preventive measures — in spite of
constantly reiterated decrees, denouncing death upon
all who should venture to pass the French frontier —
in spite of cordons of soldiers stationed to dragoon
back all refugees, the tide of emigration set resolutely,
irresistibly towards Protestant Europe. England,
Switzerland, Holland, Prussia, Denmark and Swe-
den, generously relieved their first necessities.
******* *
The depopulation of the kingdom was frightful.
The best authorities estimate that France lost live
hundred thousand of her best, most intelligent,
moral and industrious citizens. She lost, besides,
sixty millions of francs in specie, and- her most val-
uable manufactures, while four hundred thousand
lives.paid the forfeit of the reign of terror. This
was what it cost to suppress the truth in France !"
History of the Huguenots.
The following facts concerning the Huguenot Sol-
omon Legare and his parents, have been preserved
among their descendants, and handed down from
parent to child — some of them through tradition,
and some in manuscript form, written in the family
bibles of his grandchildren. About thirty-seven
years ago one of the Huguenot Legare's great-great-
granddaughters, Mrs. Eliza C. X. Fludd, collected
them all together and compiled them into a volume
of Familv Chronicles — along with biographical
notices of the lives and deaths of some of the old
Huguenot Leu'are's children and grandchildren.
In addition to the traditions which she received
from the lips of the oldest members of the family
then living, she had other authentic family records
to guide her pen. and extracts from the files of old
newspapers kept as public records, which were
searched out of the offices by the Hon. Hugh S win-
ton Legare, one of the great-great-grandsons of the
Huguenot Legare.
When this first manuscript was completed, it was
very extensively read among the descendants of the
Ilngnenot Legare, who were then living in South
Carolina. And. at the request of some of them who
resided in Xew England, Xew York, Philadelphia
and Xew Orleans, the manuscript was forwarded to
each of those places for the perusal of those interest-
ed in it. This brought out more information : sev-
eral elderly ladies sent to Mrs. Flndd old manuscripts
containing farther particulars about the Legare fam-
ily, while thev lived in France. Among these old
papers, the Huguenot's bible came to hand, contain-
ing many notes written by the old gentleman, about
the sorrows of God's persecuted people, and God's
faithfulness to them under those sorrows, with
touching and pathetic remarks addressed to his chil-
dren, urging them to trust in the Lord always.
The substance of the additional particulars thus
received is embodied in the following pages, which
'are now printed at the special request of many of the
Huguenot Legare's descendants living in several
parts of the United States, who wish to transmit
the volume to their children as an heirloom.
THE LEGARE FAMILY,
Tradition says, were originally natives of Xormandv,
from whence, more than two hundred years ago,
some of them emigrated to the Southeastern Prov-
inces of France, and that it was from this branch
of the Legare Family that the Legares of South Car-
olina are descended. While the Hon. Hugh Swin-
ton Legare was United States Minister to Belgium,
he visited Xormandv, searched for and found some
traces of the family in the <Ad public records, hut
could find no living representative of the old family.
He saw among the records of the old Court Tourna-
ments accounts of several of the Knights named
Legare, who had distinguished themselves on certain
occasions. But he had every reason to believe that
the name was then extinct in Xormandv.
Dr. Baird, in his recently published. " History of
the Huguenot Emigration to America," has made a
great mistake in his statement, that the South Caro-
lina Legare familv — including the Hon. Hugh Swin-
ton Legare — are all descended from one " Francois
L'E^are or Legare," who was naturalized in Eng-
land, in -the year 1682, then sought admission into
the Colon v of Massachusetts on February 1st, 1691,
and actually settled in Massachusetts, from whence,
one of his sons named Solomon, emigrated a^ain to
Carolina, and became the founder of the Legare fam-
ily there. — See vol. 2d, pages 111, 112.
10
The Legare family in South Carolina never before
heard of the Legares who settled in Massachusetts,
and know not from whence they came ; but both
date* and J acts prove the error of the statement.
The father of that Solomon Legare the Huguenot,
from whom the Legares of South Carolinaare de-
scended, never left France, never came to America,
and never was a Huguenot by profession, though he
was utterly opposed to the persecution of Bible
Christians. He continued nominally a member of
the Church of Rome to the day of his death, which
occurred suddenly while he was living with his wife,
Madame Legare, in their own home on the banks of
the Loire, in France. He left four sons — the three
oldest sons wefejby his first wife, and all of them
were members of the Church of Koine. These three
sons emigrated from France to the French Province
of Canada, in company with Monsieur Valier, second
Bishop of Quebec, about the year 1686. Their de-
scendants are still in Canada, and are all still
Romanists.
His fourth, and youngest son Solomon Legare, was
the only child of his second wife, Madame Legare,
who was a Huguenot, and a descendant, through
many generations, of the Waldenses. This son, Sol-
omon, was educated by his mother in the Protestant
faith of the Huguenots; and before he was twenty
years of age, became an object of Papal hatred and
persecution. This was that Soloman Legare, the
Huguenot, who became the ancestor of the Legare
Family of South Carolina. He tied from Papal per-
secution in France, in 1685, some months before the
11
revocation of the Edict of Xante?, while he was at
college in the city of Lyons, and while both of his
parents were living in their own home on the hanks
of the river Loire, not tar from the citv of Lvons.
The sudden death of her husband left Madame
Legare without a protector ; the estate was immedi-
ately seized by R<nnan Catholic members of the fam-
ily, and the daily increasing horrors of the persecu-
tion raging all around, warned her to escape quickiv,
which she did under cover of a visit to her own rela-
tives, who lived on the shore of the Mediterranean
Sea. From thence, she escaped along with them to
the shelter of an English ship, just a few days before
the revocation of the Edict of Xantes was signed.
In this way Madame Legare reached Bristol, in Eng-
land, where she met her son by appointment.
They remained some months in Bristol, and while
living there, Solomon Legare, the Huguenot, mar-
ried a young English lady of eminent piety. Xot
long after their marriage, he, in company with his
young bride and his mother. Madame Legare, sailed
for the British Province of Carolina, in Amer-
ica. They readied Charles Town, in South Carolina.
late in the year 1086, where Mr. Solomon Legare
soon after became, along with other Huguenots and
Congregationalists from England, one of the foun-
ders of the old Congregational (Circular; Church, in
Charleston, and he continued, for many years to be
one of its most prominent church officers. His
mother, Madame Legare, was the Jirst adult person
buried in that church-yard. Her mortal remains lie
under the circular foundation of the second building
•■'
12
erected upon that site, which was much larger than
the first building was.
Madame Legare knew, that before her husband's
death, he had made arrangements for sending ins
three oldest sons to one of the French Produces in
America. But, the sudden death of her husband
and the subsequent necessity for her own speedy
flight from France, completely separated the two
branches of the family : and, if the Huguenot. Sol-
omon Legare, knew that Canada was the Province
to which his older half-brothers had emigrated, after
he had himself fled from persecution in France, he
certainly never informed his children to that effect.
Consequently, none of the descendants of the Hu-
guenot Solomon Legare, knew of the existence of
the Legares in Canada, till about fifteen years since,
when the two branches of the family became known
to each other in the following manner:
At the close of the late civil war, when all the
good schools in the South were broken up, Mrs.
Phenix, a great-great-great-granddaughter of the
Huguenot Legare — having lo^st the most of her pro-
perty by the results of the war, took her son to Can-
ada and placed him in a Jesuit College, on account
of the cheap tuition.
The principal of the institution inquired of her,
how her son came by the name of Legare, which, he
said, Avas a French name. Mrs. Phenix replied, that
was her father's name, and that her son was named
for him. The Priest responded :
" Are you aware of the fact, that you have rela-
tives now living in Canada V
13
Mrs. Phenix told him she had no relatives living
in Canada, and that the Legares of South Carolina,
are all descendants of the Huguenot Legare. To
this the priest replied :
" Yes; but you are all descendants from the same
old stock: I know all about it. There were four
brothers, who emigrated to America, the youngest of
whom, Solomon, was your ancestor: and it is be-
cause he changed his religion — left the old true
Church and his father's family, to become a Protest-
ant, that he lost sight of his brothers who settled in
Canada. But we bare had our eye upon you all the time ;
we have never lost sight of him and his descend-
ants, though it is now nearly two hundred years
since he first settled in South Carolina. There are,
at the present time, many descendants of the three
older brothers living in Canada — one of these is a
distinguished statesman and a member of Parlia-
ment; another is the Rev. Adolph Ignaee Irenee
Legare, Director of the College or Seminaire de
Quebec, a great University !"
"The Rev. Adolph Leirare is one of the greatest
minds in the Catholic Church : a man of great learn-
ing and a polished gentleman. He has two brothers,
also priests, in the same university ; but they are not
Jesuits priests, belong to no order, simply secular
priests. Rev. Cyrille Legare is also a distinguished
scholar, and a charming companion/'
Mrs. Phenix asked:
" AVhv did you you not tell me all this at first V
The priest replied :
" If I had done so, you would probably have car-
14
ried your son to Quebec and placed him under their
care ; but I preferred to have him with us."
Mrs. Phenix, after her return to South Carolina,
wrote to Rev. Adolphe Legate, and received from
him in reply, the following letter, which gives the
family tradition, as it has been preserved in the Can-
adian branch of the family, but differing in some
points from ours, namely :
That Solomon Legare, the Huguenot, went first
from France to Canada along with his older broth-
ers, and then emigrated to South Carolina, where he
became a Protestant. This statement is incorrect,
for Solomon Legare, the Huguenot, was compelled
to flee from France by persecution for being a Pro-
testant, before his older brothers left France and
settled in Canada. And the Rev. Adolphe Legare
says in this letter : " Although the tradition of our
family may not be identically the same as yours, vet
I have reason to believe that yours is the more exact.*'
" Seminary of Quebec, ]
Quebec, Oct. 13th, 1871. J
To Madam E. L. Phenix :
Madam — I have received with a verv lively pleas-
lire, and have read with the greatest interest, your
letter of the 24th of September last. More— I have
had the pleasure of making the -acquaintance, and of
renewing the bonds of relationship with Mr. Joseph
J. Legare, who came to make us a visit in Quebec
yesterday and the day before ; he will depart this
evening for Charleston.
15
I have no doubt that we are of the same family,
for, although the tradition of our family may not be
identically the same as yours, yet I have reason to
believe that yours is the more exact. The record in
the family is that there were four brothers who came
to America, (that is to say Canada) with Mr. St.
Valier, second Bishop of Quebec. Three of these
brothers established themselves here in Canada, and
the fourth departed for the Southern States, where
he became Protestant, as all his descendants.
The epoch in which Mr. St. Valier came to Que-
bec was in 1685, but he departed to Europe twice
after this epoch, twice returning to Canada. These
three brothers established themselves in the environs
of Quebec, as cultivators of the soil (I think) and
their descendants are very numerous, and all occupy
rank in society. Here, in the Seminary of Quebec,
we are three brothers, priests ; I am the eldest ;
Mr. Cyrille, whose name you will read in the annual
I send you, is the younger, and Mr. A^ictor, the
youngest. AVe have a fourth brother, still younger,
who is in commerce. Mv mother still lives, she is
sixty-nine years old. My father has been dead six
years. I have uncles — some lawyers, some notaries, v
some in commerce. One of my cousins, Mr. Joseph
Legare, dead several years, was an artist, rather
distinguished.
Among our ancestors, I do not see that there may
have been any who had occupied positions very emi-
nent in society, but I believe that all were in posses-
sion of a certain ease, or competency; and, above
all, of a great character for respectability.
16
I am going to try to trace back to the origin of
the family, through some private researches, and I
shall be happy to transmit to you all the information
that I can find.
Mr. Cvrille, mv brother, after having made his
course of study in Quebec, passed over to Paris,
where he took his degrees at the University. He
studied four years in Paris, then travelled in differ-
ent parts of Europe. Unfortunately, he does not en-
joy good health. The physicians here have declared
these last days, that it is necessary. for him to pass
the winter in a climate less severe than that of Can-
ada. It will then be possible, some day, that he will
go to present his respects to you, and to solicit, on
our part, the good will you express in your letter.
Waiting the pleasure of receiving your amiable
news, I subscribe myself,
Your much devoted cousin,
Adolphe J. J. Legare."
The following winter, the Rev. Cvrille Legare
passed through South Carolina, on his way to Flor-
ida, and called upon the Southern cousins whose
acquaintance he had thus made. They were greatly
pleased with him, and described him as being a very
handsome man, a polished gentleman, and a most
agreeable companion.
The personal piety and practical faith illustrated
bv the facts recorded in these paeres, serve to show
what religion was to those whose devotion to the
"truth in Jesus/' and whose love and reverence for
the written Word of God, was such an all-absorbing
17
principle of their very existence, that, to them, all
else was but dross in comparison with the riches of
grace. It 1 thev " might but win Christ and be found
in Him," they " counted not their lives dear unto
the death." Such was the spirit of the Huguenot ■
martyrs — they proved themselves willing to forsake
all things else for Christ.
It was this principle firmly implanted in the souls
of onr Huguenot ancestors, which led them, like
Moses of old, to " choose rather to surfer affliction
with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures
of sin for a season." Accordingly, thev found them-
selves under the necessity of seeking an asylum in a
foreign land. And. following the leadings of Provi-
dence, they were brought into " The Wilderness "
of America.
And when they reached America, they met with
other men and women there, who also had left their
homes in Great Britain to rind and enjoy civil and
religious liberty in the New World, as it was not to
be found, and could not be enjoyed under the op-
pressive and exacting requirements of the State
Churches of Europe, those " dragon powers of the
old serpent." Thus it was that k * Civil and Religious
Liberty,'' became the icaiehicord of the American
church from its very infancy ; and before long made
itself heard publicly and decidedly in the Declaration
of Independence, and in the Constitution of the
United States, securing liberty of conscience and
the right of private judgment to all of its citizen^.
in things pertaining to the worship of God.
•• • •
»'
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
OF
THE HUGUENOT LEGARE,
AND OF
HIS PARENTS.
Both the father and mother of the Huguenot Le-
gare were natives of Southeastern France, and at the
time this narrative begins, thev resided near Lvons,
on the hanks of the Loire. An old manuscript says
of him : " Solomon Legare was under the age of
twenty, when, along with other devoted Huguenots,
he adjured forever his beautiful native land, the soft
and delicious hanks of the Loire, to plunge into the
depths of an untrodden wilderness, covered with
swamps and breathing pestilence ; hecause in its
dreary solitude he could commune with and worship
God according to the dictates of his conscience,
without molestation from civil and religious perse-
cution."
The familv consisted then of the father, mother,
and four sons. The three eldest sons were the chil-
dren of the first wife, then dead, and the vounorest
son was the only child of the second wife, then liv-
ing. The father and three elder brothers were all
by profession, members of the Church of Rome.
But the second wife and her son, whose name was
Solomon, were Huguenots, and well known as such.
20
This Madame Legare, the mother of Solomon
Legare, the Huguenot, was herself a descendant of
the Vaudois. Her ancestors, along with other Pro-
testants, had been driven by the bloody persecution
of the Romanists, to take refuge in the mountain
fastnesses of the Alps, from which hiding-places
they had again descended to the shore of the Medi-
terranean Sea, where her relatives were living at this
time.
" These Vaudois Christians were afterwards called
Waldenses under the leadership of Peter Waldo, of
Languedoc, one of the finest names in history, and
the chief promoter of the Vaudois, as the dis-
senters were then called. * * But in the reign of
Henry the Second, the soubriquet Huguenots began
to be generally applied to the French reformers, and
Huguenots became the honorable and universal
synonym of politico-ecclesiastical reform."
History of the Huguenots.
" The precise term or form Huguenots may be
owing to the fact, that an influential leader of the
Republican Protestants of Geneva, was named
Ungues and his followers were called Huguenot?.
And many years afterwards, the enemies of the
French Protestants called them by this name, wish-
ing to stigmatize them, and to impute to them a for-
eign, republican and heretical origin. Such is the
true etymology of the word. 7 '
D'Aubigne.
It appears that, though the father of the Huguenot
Legare was himself, nominally, a member of the
21
Church of Rome, and his three sons by his first wife
were all educated and brought up Romanists, yet he
never interfere* I with the faith of his Huguenot wife :
on the contrary, he allowed her to have the whole
control of her only son's education, insomuch, that
he was thoroughly educated in the faith of the Hu-
guenots as they received it from the IIolv Bible.
One of the old manuscripts reads : % * That the mother
of Solomon Legare instructed her son in the Pro-
testant faith, and by her ardent piety and the dili-
gent performance of her maternal duties; she was
instrumental of establishing in Carolina a very nu-
merous and respectable posterity. Her daily fervent
and effectual prayer was, that her children, to the
latest generation, should continue in the faith, and
boldly profess their adherence to their Saviour, a
prayer which has, thus far, been mercifully answered
to the fourth generation, in every branch of her
family.
Indeed, the father of this vouthful Huguenot was
accused of favoring the '* Heretics,*' as the Bible
Christians were called, and no doubt he did, for he
was utterly and openly opposed to the persecution of
the Protestants, and refused to take any part in it.
But some of his first wife's relations were bigoted
persecuting Romanists, and they reported the young
Solomon Legare to the Inquisitors, as an obstinate
heretic, and a dangerous enemv to the Papacy.
Solomon Legare, the Huguenot, was, at this time,
in a college at Lyons, where his mother had placed
him ; but some one interested in the young man, dis-
covered and communicated to his mother the fact.
99
that her son was marked as a heretic, to be punished
by the Inquisition, and that measures were in pro-
gress for his removal from the college and delivery
to the Inquisitors.
Knowing that no time was to he lost, Madam
Legare immediately despatched a faithful Huguenot
servant to the college, who informed the young col-
legiate of the danger which both his liberty and life
were in from the Papists. The servant also commu-
nicated, verbal/'/, what his mother's instructions
were, as follows :
She counselled her son to leave the college with-
out an hour's delay, and to make his escape from
Lyons in the disguise of a young peasant passing
from one town to another, with produce tor sale :
for the effecting of this advice, the means had already
been provided, and were at hand. Having thus
escaped in disguise from the city of Lyons, she as-
sured her son, that on his arrival at a certain place
named, he would there find a certain person awaiting
him with a purse of gold and a strong horse equipped
for a journey. With these provisions, she counselled
her dear young son to make his way expeditiously,
but cautiously, out of the kingdom of France, and
to go by the shortest road to Geneva, in Switzerland,
where he would find friends. Then, after having
reached that citv of refuse in safety, he must bend
his course towards the City of Bristol in England, to
which place some of her relatives had already escaped
from France by sea.
Madame Legare also directed her son to remain
with her relatives in Bristol, until she could, herself,
23
escape from France, and join him there. She believed
that her own turn to be arrested would soon come,
and knew that her husband, in that event, would not
be able to save her from the Inquisition. She, there-
fore, determined to leave France by the first oppor-
tunity by sea, and to follow her son to England.
With this determination in view, Madame Legare
had been for months secretly preparing for a sudden
departure from France. Her husband had also fore-
seen the necessity that must come, sooner or later,
for his family to leave France, or to become victims
of Papal hatred and malice. He, therefore, after his
son Solomon's escape from the Inquisitors, secretly
assisted Jus wife in making her preparations for flight
by sea. He also made arrangements for sending his
three eldest sons to one of the French Provinces in
America, lest, by remaining in distracted France,
they should be tempted to imbrue their hands in the
blood of the persecuted Bible Christians, as so many
others had done.
Thus secretly assisted by her husband, Madame Le-
gare had had a large amount of gold coin and other
valuables conveved to some of her relatives living
on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, who, from
thence, shipped them on board of a friendly English
vessel lying off the coast, and thus these valuables
were conveyed safely to the care of friends in
England.
The sudden death of her husband, but a few
weeks before the revocation of the Edict of Nantes,
left Madame Legare entirely without a protector in
France, and the daily increasing horrors of perse-
24
cution all around warned her to eseape without
delay to her relatives on the sea-coast, which she did
under cover of a visit to them. Then, along with
them, she escaped to the shelter of an English ship
on the Mediterranean Sea, just a few days before the
revocation of the Edict of Xantes was signed by
Louis the XIYth, and just in time to save them from
coming, personally, in contact with " the blood-
hounds of the Papacy," who were then immediately
unleashed, and let loose upon the Huguenots to hold
their carnival of blood, which they did throughout
all France, but especially in the Southern and East-
ern provinces, as history has faithfully recorded, and
glowingly depicted, to the disgrace of the wicked
persecutors.
The ship containing these refugees soon reached
England in safety, and landed them at Bristol, where
Madame Legare had the happiness of meeting her
son, about whom she had been exceedingly anxious,
having neither heard from nor of him, since he left
France.
Shortly after Madame Legare's arrival in Bristol,
her son Solomon Legare and herself, along with
some other Huguenot refugees, decided to join the
then newly settled English Colony in America, on
the shore of Carolina, under the protection of Great
Britain. Accordingly, after a sojourn of several
months in Bristol, they again embarked for their
final destination in the Western wilderness, sailed
across the Atlantic Ocean and landed at Charlestown,
in South Carolina, in the year IMG, about sixteen
years after the first settlement of the Province, and
ZO
about six years after the first settlement of the pres-
ent site of the City of Charleston, which was in 1680.
While the voung Huguenot, Solomon Legare,
sojourned in Bristol, he had sought and obtained in
marriage, the heart and hand of a young English
lady, who was afterwards noted through life for the
deep-toned piety of her heart, as well as for her
intelligence, moral worth and domestic virtues.
Their marriage took place immediately before they
sailed from England, and Madame Legare lived with
them in their new home in Carolina for several years
before death ended her eventful life on earth. She
was honored and loved bv all who knew her, and of
her it was said by mourning relatives and friends —
14 Her children arise up and call her blessed."
The mortal remains of Madame Legare were laid
to rest in the grave-yard of what is now called the
Circular Church. It is said that she was the first
adult person buried in that grave-yard, and her body
lies under the foundation of the present edifice,
which is considerably larger than the first building
erected on that site.
ORIGIN
OF THE
Independent Congregational (Chnvcli,
OF
CHARLESTON. SOUTH CAROLINA.
The Huguenot, Solomon Legare, was one of the
founders of that old church, along with a number of
other Huguenots from France, and Dissenters from
England.*
Shortly after the arrival of Solomon Legare in
Charleston, in the year 1686, these emigrants, after
consulting together, organized themselves into a
united Church membership, composed of church-
members gathered together, by the providence of
God, from the Protestant Churches of France and
the dissenting Churches of England. They then
built a church in Meeting 1 Street and invited Rev.
Thomas Barret, a Congregational Minister from
England, to be their pastor.
Thus, it appears that, at its origin, this undenomi-
national Church united, in its organization, both
Congregationalists from England, and Independent
Presbyterians from France — for such the Huguenots
had really been in France, all of whom were, with-
out an exception. Dissenters in principle and in prac-
tice, from a Stole Church policy. Thus united, they
allowed themselves to be indiscriminately styled, a
Presbyterian, a Congregational, or an Independent
Church.
* As the old ^rave-stones in the church-yard show.
28
'Within the fold of this united Christian brother-
hood, all Dissenters iron) a State Church policy, met
on the basis of the Holy Bible, as one in Christ, and
worshipped God harmoniously together, not troub-
ling themselves and the Church with disputes about
u Mine and Thine," in the non-essentials of religion,
but recognizing each other as unitedly one in all those
things which an essential to salvation through Chtist;
a lesson which many professing Christians and
churehes of the present day might learn to their own
advantage, as well as to the peace and prosperity of
the Church universal.
Such to a very remarkable degree has been the
spirit which this undenominational Christian Church
has been noted for, and lias maintained for nearly
two centuries past. u It was called a Congregation
Church, not because it was bound up to any rules or
forms laid down by the Savoy or Cambridge Direc-
torv, but because it acted in all its concerns as a
congregation disconnected from all others. It was
also sometimes called a Presbyterian Church, be-
cause its creed, doctrines and form of worship were,
in substance, the same as those of the Presbyterian
Church generally."' But this Church was in exist-
ence, as it now is, before any Presbyterian Church
was ever organized in America. And though it has
repeatedly been urged and invited to unite formally
with the Presbyterian Church in Scotland, and in
these United States of America, it has always refused
to come under the rule of any presbytery, either in
its spiritual or temporal and secular affairs. " The
Church has always, from its origin, been governed
29
by its own sessions, the one composed of its own
pastor, deacons and male communing members, have
the oversight and control of all its spiritual affairs.
The other composed of its own corporators, have
the management and control of all its secular
concerns."
" The doctrines or creed of the Church is thus
given by Dr. David Ramsay, who was in his day a
very prominent officer of this Church. k To these
outlines of the government of the Church, it may be
proper to subjoin a general view of its doctrines. It
never was the intention so much to build up any one
denomination of Christians, as to build up Christian-
ity itself. Its members were, therefore, less attached
to names and "parties than to a system of doctrines
which thev believed to be essential to a correct view
« »
of the gospel plan of salvation. These have been
generally called the doctrines of the Reformation —
of free grace, or, of the evangelical system. The
minister who preached these doctrines explicitly and
unccpiivocally. was always acceptable, to whatever
denomination he might belong. On the other hand,
where these were wanting, no accordance on other
points, no splendor of learning, no fascination of
eloquence could make up for the defect."
In 1804 the congregation took down the old
church, and built upon the same site, an entirely new
church of a circular form, having eighty-eight feet
interior diameter, at an estimated cost of 860,000.
and the new Circular Church was dedicated May
25th, 1806, hence comes the familiar name, " The
Circular Church," by which this old church has
since been so well known in later times.
30
And this same old Independant Congregational
(Circular) Church, has a record of usefulness and
benevolence which few individual churches can show.
Standing alone, independent of, and disconnected
with all ether churches, it has given to the world
more than twenty of her baptized and trained sons,
to be ministers of the gospel, and missionaries of the
Cross of Christ.
" The first sabbath school in South Carolina ori-
ginated in this church in 1817."
" The Charleston Bible Society, which preceded
the American Bible Society by six years, and is but
six years younger than the British and-Foreign Bible
Society, originated with the Rev. J. S. Keith, D. D.,
a pastor of tins Church."
One of the ladies 7 societies in the church for assist-
ing in the education of pious youths for the gospel
ministry, accomplished much srood. "This society's
records mention donations to individual voiing" men
amounting to $5,590. It also founded two scholar-
ships in the Presbyterian Theological Seminary,
Princeton, New Jersey, in the davs of good old Dr.
Alexander ; one of these was called the u Charleston
Female Scholarship," and the other, " The Jane Keith
Scholarship.*' It gave, years ago, to the Presbyterian
Theological Seminary, in Columbia, South Carolina,
the sum of 85,634.
Besides the above, it has, at various times, donated
smaller amounts to the Educational Society, in Yale
College; to the American Educational Society; to
Andover Theological Seminary, and to the General
Assemblv of the Presbyterian Church. Its recorded
31
gifts to outsiders amounted in all to about 815,000.
Thus, liberally, they gave of their abundance, but
not of their superabundance, for that was before the
day of American millionaires, and it is mentioned to
show how diffusive and liberal were the charities of
this " Old Mother in Israel," as this old church
was often justly styled, as well as to illustrate how
much o-ood a small society of earnest Christian ladies
can accomplish.
And the above named sum is but a small portion
of the amount which this old church, as a body, has,
from time to time, contributed to help forward relig-
ious and charitable institutions, while her individual
member* have also given freely to other denomina-
tions thousands of dollars for religious and charitable
purposes, as many still living can testify.
After the Church had been organized in 1686, bv
French Protestants ami English Congregationalists,
Presbyterians from Scotland and Ireland arrived in
Charleston, and also united themselves with this
same Independent Congregational Church. Here
they all worshipped God together harmoniously,
until the arrival of Rev. Archibald Stobo in the
Province.
Rev. Archibald Stobo was a Scotchman, and he
was the first Presbyterian Minister in South Caro-
lina. He had been sent from Scotland with a small
com nan v of Presbyterians, to settle a colony on the
Isthmus of Darien. They failed in doing this and
were returning to Scotland. When the ship reached
the coast near Charleston, they sent a boat up to the
town for water and provisions. Mr. Stobo and his
32
wife having Scotch friends living in Charlcstown,
took this opportunity of visiting them, expecting to
return with the boat to the ship next day. But,
that night a hurricane suddenly arose, the ship was
wrecked and every one on board of her perished.
After the storm was over, the boat's crew went over
the bar to look fur the ship, but only a few floating
pieces of the wreck could he seen. The sailors,
along with Mr. and Mrs. Stobo, then returned to
Charlcstown in £reat distress, and received every
kindness from the hospitable and sympathizing
colonists.
The Congregational Church being just then with-
out a pastor, invited Mr. Stobo to preach for them,
and afterwards he became their pastor — 1700. But,
as soon as Mr. Stobo was installed as pastor of the
Church, he began to urge the congregation to unite
their Church formally with the Presbyterian Church
of Scotland. This the French and English elements
positively and decidedly refused to do. They had
had epiite enough of State-Church rule already in
Europe. Notwithstanding this refusal, Mr. Stobo
being a man of a dictatorial and obstinate temper of
mind, persevered in pressing his proposal upon the
congregation until he became so unpopular that he
had to resign as pastor of the Church in 1704.
Shortlv after, through Mr. Stobo's influence, about
twelve Scotch families left the Independent Congrega-
tional Church, and built the Scotch Presbyterian
Church, at the corner of Meeting and Tradd Streets,
now called the First Presbyterian Church.
The separation was an amicable one ; there was
no discord about doctrine, the question was simply
33
one of Church government, and each party accorded
to the other the right to judge and act tor themselves.
Consequently, the best fraternal relations have ever
existed- between these two churches; their ministers
often interchanged pulpits, and the congregations
occasionally worshipped together under the same
roof, and united their religious and charitable enter-
prises in the same societies.
Solomon Legare, the Huguenot, was a man of
small stature and of a very warm and excitable tem-
per, as most Frenchmen are, hut he possessed the
strictest integrity of character combined with prim-
itive piety of heart. He was naturally a man of very
decided character, and educated and disciplined as
he had been from childhood, in the hard school of
civil and religious persecution and oppression, it is
not strange that this innate decision of character
almost amounted to sternness in cases where princi-
ple was involved. He never hesitated to speak out
fearlessly his convietions of right and duty, even if
he stood alone in so doing.
Some amusing incidents are related of him, as
illustrating this characteristic of the old Uu<ruenot.
It was customary at that early day for families to
dine at twelve o'clock noon. The Huguenot Leirare
was ever very strict in the observance of regular
hours, and to his great annoyance the Rev." Mr.
Stobo, then pastor of the Church, introduced the
practice of preaching sermons of such unusual
length, that the church services interfered with family
arrangemets for the usual dinner hour. Mr. Legare
and the other church officers had several times told
34
Mr. Stobo of this difficulty, and requested him to
divide his sermons into two parts, for morning and
afternoon. But the reverend gentleman believed
in having everything: done in his own wav, regard-
less of the convenience of the whole congregation,
and obstinately persisted in preaching his one long
sermon, notwithstanding the remonstrances of the
church officers. The other church officers were dis-
pleased at Mr. Stobo's conduct in this matter, but
submitted to the annoyance for fear 'of creating; a
disturbance in the church. But Mr. Legare told
them that he would not submit to the innovation
another Sabbath, and would find a way of letting
Mr. Stobo know his determination in the matter.
Accordingly, the next Sunday as the town clock
struck twelve, Mr. Legare got up in the midst of the
sermon and left the pew, followed by his wife and
children and several other members of his family.
As they were silently walking down the aisle of the
church, Mr. Stobo, after pausing awhile in his dis-
course, called out to Mr. Legare in a loud Scotch
accent, " Aye, aye, a little peteher is soon full ! 7?
Upon this irreverent remark from the pulpit, the
Huguenot's French blood became excited, and,
turning himself round in the aisle, he still more
irreverently retorted, but in a suppressed tone only
heard bv those near to him, "And you are an old
fool !" Mr. Legare then quietly went home with
his faniilv, where thev ate their dinner; after which
«, 7 v 7
they all returned with him to the church, marched
noiselessly up the aisle behind him to the pew in
front of the pulpit, and listened to the balance of the
1573236 o
35
sermon as gravely as if nothing had occurred to dis-
turb the sen-ices of the morning.
This silent reproof had the desired effect; Mr.
Stobo yielded the point, and the next Sabbath he
{►reached the first half of his sermon in the morning,
closing the services in time to allow the congregation
to go home and take their dinner at the usual hour.
After which they returned to the afternoon service
in proper time, and heard him preach the last half
of his discourse, and so the difficulty ended.
The gold which Madame Legarehad succeeded in
bringing with her from France, served as a capital
tor her son to start life upon in the Xew World, and
he soon became a large land owner in Charlestown
and its vicinity. He was the owner of three large
squares within the town, and of several large plan-
tations in the surrounding country The Huguenot,
Solomon Legare, had nine children— three sons and
six daughters, and he settled every one of them com-
fortably in life, as soon as they successively grew up
to manhood and to womanhood, and attained the age
<>t twenty-one years— reserving for himself and wife
u comfortable and independent support.
Though possessed of so much property, he made
« rule in his family which was faithfully carried out
»'» practice for several succeeding generations,
namely: That every male child of his family, no
■waiter how much property he might be heir to, or
In? already in possession of, should be taught some
«*cnil trade. So that, in the event of some other
evolution, or other misfortune in life, which should
'•iVrive them of their property, as he had been
36
deprived of his, they might have something else to
fall baek upon for a support, even in a foreign land.
Such a rule existed among the Jews in the time of
the Apostle Paul.
It was the custom in these early days of the young
colony for families to dine at twelve o'clock, and
take their tea and supper at sunset ; after which the
old folks sat around their street doors: or, like good
old-fashioned neighbors, they exchanged kind greet-
ings with each other from house to house, while the
young people assembled in groups to walk or play
about the streets. It is said that on summer moon-
light evenings, the grown srirls and voung men
amused themselves after this fashion in playing
" Tray's Ace,'' " Blind Man's Buff,'' &c. And they,
doubtless, enjoyed these rural sports quite as much
as our more refined modern belles and beaux enjoy
the battery promenade of the present day. But the
fathers and mothers of that day had a greater regard
for early and regular hours than their descendants
now have, for it was then considered a great breach of
family discipline for a child to stay out after nine
o'clook at night ; it was the custom to close the house
at nine o'clock, when all its inmates assembled around
the familv altar to en^a^e in the devotions of the even-
«. CD CD
ing. After which the little community all retired
to bed and was soon wrapped in peaceful slumber —
thus preparing themselves for a proportionably early
start upon the duties of the coming day.
The Huguenot Legare had married an English
lady of eminent piety, and because she spoke English
fluentlv and he did not, familv worship was gener-
37
ally conducted by her, at his request. It is said of
this lady, that she was seldom known to conclude a
prayer in the family circle without asking of God,
that her posterity to the latest generation might be
numbered among his chosen people. These whole-
souled Christian parents were eminently successful
in the training and education of their children for
usefulness in life ; and they had the happiness of
seeing every one of them become sincere and earnest
Christians. x
Their rules of family government, though kind,
were very strict, for they required of their children
implicit obedience, and great reverence for sacred
things ; especially they required a strict observance
of the Christian Sabbath, in their entire household.
These parents always devoted Sunday evenings to
the religions instruction of their children, when
every child was expected to he present in the family
circle, even after they were grown up. Xo Sunday
visiting was allowed, excepting in cases of sickness
and distress. But on the week days the young
people were permitted to visit freely, and to enjoy
themselves in many ways.
To these Huguenots the Christian religion was a
reality in which they lived, and for which they were
readv to die, if called to it. The circumstances that
had surrounded them in France, forced them to he
at a point, like Joshua of old, who cried oilt before
the assembled nations of Israel : " Choose you this
day whom vou will serve ; but as for me and
rav house, we will serve the Lord !" Believing thus,
they taught their children the impossibility and
38
absurdity of trying to serve both " God and Mam-
mon/ ' and urged upon them the necessity of making
the written Word of God, k * the man of their coun-
sel and the chart of their life."
3:>ut the sufferings of this Huguenot and others
from the persecutions of their own countrymen,
greatly prejudiced him against the government of
France, and made him abhor the State Church
power which had instigated and hounded on the
persecution of good men for conscience sake. lie
had a perfect horror of any of his descendants ever
returning to France, or being perverted into joining
the Church of Rome, and sought unceasingly to
sever every tie that might bind his children to his
native land, which he considered accursed of God
for the sake of his persecuted people. He, therefore,
would not allow his children to learn the French
language, or even suffer it to be spoken in his private
familv circle, preferring rather a broken English dia-
lect from those who could not speak English fluently.
Mr. Legare, who was in the habit of telling his
children a sreat deal about the Reformation in
France, Switzerland and Germany, always became
eloquent and excited when he related to them the
dreadful scenes of martyrdom by lire and sword,
which, in his childhood and youth his own eyes had
witnessed in France, some of the 4 victims being his
own blood relatives on his mother's side. He also
told them about the wholesale massacre of Bible
Christians which his parents and ancestors had wit-
nessed before he was born ; especially he dwelt
upon the horrors of the massacre of Saint Bar-
39
tholomew — when the " streets of Lyons were .said
to flow with the blood of God's martyred peo-
ple." Again, 'he described to them the cruel
tortures inflicted upon individuals by the Inquis-
itors, to force them to recant their faith in Christ
and the Holy Bible, and told of the fiend-like butch-
ery of thousands of the Huguenots in cold blood,
after the perfidious revocation of the Edict of
Xantes, which he and his mother had only escaped
from by fieeing from their home in France, first to
England and then to the American wilderness,
where they had found rest and peace, and where
they could worship God in safety, according to the
dictates of the Holy Bible and their own enlightened
consciences.
At such times he would exclaim : M Ah, my chil-
dren ! the blood-soaked soil of France cries to
heaven for vengeance, and vengeance it will have,
iust as surelv as righteous Abel's blood, crying from
the earth to God for vengeance upon his murderer,
brought down the curse upon Cain, so will a blasting
curse rest upon France. Mark well what I say to
vou ! France, (J'l'lbf France, will never again be blest
with peace, prosperity and quiet : but, on the contrary,
trouble, violence and revolution after revolution, will
vex and rend those who have thus troubled and
murdered the people of God. Therefore, my dear
children, never do you return to France — keep your-
selves clear of it, if you would keep clear of the
fearful curse which hangs over it."
The history of France for two hundred years past,
proves how prophetic his words were.
Mr. Lesrare also affirmed the belief that God
40
would never permit " The dragon, that old serpent,
which is the Devil, and Satan/' Rev. xx : 2. to estab-
lish any persecuting State Church Power in these
(then) British Provinces ; because this was " the
place prepared of God," (Rev. xii : 6,) as a shelter
for his persecuted people fleeing from those very
persecutions in Europe. He insisted that the emi-
gration of the persecuted Huguenots, Puritans and
other Bible Christians from the old countries had
commenced the fulfilment of that prophecy, and that
the persecuting State Church Powers of Europe
would thus find themselves shorn of their power, and
comparatively impotent to afflict Bible Christians, as
they had hitherto done.
Here, too, the old Huguenot was not mistaken, for
it is a well-known fact in the history of nations,
that since the rise and establishment of these United
States of Xorth America to their elevated position
in wealth, power and influence among the nations of
the earth, the sword of professedly religious persecution
has been, comparatively speaking, sheathed, and
those who, otherwise, would have used it as of old,
have been compelled to sit in the mouth of their caves
— like Bunyan's Giant Pope, grinning with suppressed
rage, and see their intended victims escaping to the
shelter of that civil and religious liberty, which God
has ''prepared'' for the oppressed, in this land of
bible light and gospel influences, and all the eflbrts
of infidelity, red republicanism, radicalism, with all
the other depths of Satan's iniquity combined, has
never yet, and never will, succeed in putting out
that light, for it is the lii^ht of Truth in the fulfil-
ment of Prophecy.
41
It is not at all surprising that children brought up
under such influences became themselves thoroughly
imbued with the spirit of the Huguenots. Accord-
ingly, one of the peculiar characteristics of this Hu-
guenot's descendants in most of the branches, has
been, as a general rule, an unequivocal and unbend-
ing adherence to the principles of civil and religious
liberty, as taught in the Holy Bible, not only pro
fe.ssing openly and fearlessly the doctrines they
believed in, but also, in living according to the rules
of primitive piety. For generations they maintained
strict religious discipline in their families, refusing
with unyielding independence of spirit, to conform
to any of the vain and sinful inroads of fashion and
wealth, all of which practices they believed to be
inconsistent with a profession of Christianity.
Mr. Legare/s independence of spirit sometimes
led him into peculiarities of conduct which were a
marvel to some persons, while they drew a smile
from others. It was well known in the community
that he was a rich man mid that he was always very
benevolent and generous in helping the poor and
n£.edj,~ yet he had for many years, a strange and
seemingly ridiculous habit of picking up old rusty
nails and other small bits of iron, which he carried
home and threw into an old iron chest that always
was kept in an open piazza at the back part of his
house. The iron really was too rusty for use, and
the old iron chest was anything but a desirable piece
of furniture in a piazza, yet Mr. Legare persisted in
keeping it there, notwithstanding repeated remon-
strances from his children, and would still
occasionaally add to it small contributions of
42
rusty iron. This strange conduct was an enigma
td his children and others, but on his death-bed
the riddle was solved, tor then he told his chil-
dren that the old iron chest in his back piazza
was his bank for the deposit of gold coin, and directed
them how to open a false bottom in the chest, where
they would find a large amount. He also then told
his children that for fifty years he had kept his gold
coin in that chest without a lock upon it, in the open
piazza, and without any one's ever having suspected
that anything valuable could be found in it. The
following anecdote in connection with this fact, has
been related of him :
Some small boys who had observed old Mr.
Legare's habit of picking up rusty nails, determined
to play him a trick. They heated some old nails in
the fire and watched tor the approach of the old
gentleman in his accustomed walk. They then threw
the hot nails into the street a few paces ahead of him,
and, as usual, he stooped to pick up two or three of
them and burnt Ills fingers, to the great amusement
of the mischievous urchins.
The Huguenot, Solomon Legare. lived almost to
the age of a hundred years. An obituary notice of
his death in Timothy's South Carolina Gazette, Mav
17th, 1700, says of him : "On the 8th instant, died
Mr. Solomon Legare, Sr., in the ninety-eighth year
of his age — one of the oldest settlers in this Province.
He had been here seventy-four years."
" The family must then have settled in Carolina
in 1686, but sixteen years after the settlement of the
Colony."
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
i OF
SOME OF THE CHILDREN
OF
THE HUGUENOT LEGARE.
The Huguenot, Solomon Legare, had nine chil-
dren ; eight of these were the children of his first
'wife, who was au English lady, and the youngest
child, Thomas, was the son of his second wife, who
was a native of America. They all married as
follows :
Solomon, the eldest son. married Miss Mary Stock.
Daniel, the second son, married Miss Peronneau.
Thomas, the third son, married Miss Jones.
The eldest daughter was married to Capt. Barks-
dale, an Englishman by birth : from these the whole
family of Barksdale. in South Carolina, are de-
scended; most of these now hear different names
through marriages with other families.
The second daughter was married to Mr. Miller.
a native of Scotland, who afterwards returned to
Scotland, and their descendants are lost sight of by
their American cousins.
The third daughter was married to Mr. Holmes,
an Englishman, and relative of General Isaac Holmes,
who was a British Officer. Mrs. Holmes died young,
leaving. one child, who also died young.
44
The fourth daughter was married to Mr. Eveighly,
an Englishman ; from these are descended the
Eveighly family, and some of the Richardsons of
Camden, Clarendon and Santee.
The fifth daughter, Mary Legare, was married to
Mr. Ellis, an Englishman. This lady was verv
wealthy, and noted alike for her piety and benevo-
lence. Mrs. Ellis gave a valuable plantation in St.
John's Berkeley, to her brother, Mr. Daniel Legare.
She also gave two plantations in the same Parish, to
her nephew, Mr. Thomas Legare. (to whom she was
£reatlv attached, and with whom she lived and died
during the Revolutionary struggle with Great Bri-
tain), besides leaving a very large estate to her only
child, Mr. Thomas Ellis, and to his family. This
lady is the "old Mrs. Ellis/' spoken of in u Reminis-
cences of the Revolutionary War."
One of Mr. Thomas Ellis's daughters, Eleanor,
was married to Dr. David Ramsay, the historian, of
South Carolina. She was his first wife, and died
childless. Dr. Ramsay afterwards married a second
wife — a daughter of Ilenrv Laurens, of Revolution-
ary fame.
Another daughter of Mr. Thomas Ellis was mar-
ried to Col. White, and settled in Brunswick, Xew
Jersey.
Mr. Thomas Ellis's only son, Thomas Ellis, Jr.,
married and settled in Carolina, where, by his ex-
tra valance, he soon £Ot to the end of a verv larire
estate, and died, leaving a widow in such indigent
circumstances, that she was for years supported by
the charity of the Circular Church in Charleston —
45.
to the support of which church, his grandmother,
Mrs. Mary Ellis, had very liberally contributed of
her abundance, for years before he was born. Here
was a clear case in demonstration of the truth of that
scripture injunction, given with promise: "Cast
thy bread upon the waters ; for thou shalt find it
after many days.''
Xone of Mrs. Ellis's descendants are now living
in South Carolina.
The sixth and youngest daughter of the Huguenot.
Solomon Legate, and his English wife, was married
to Mr. Peronneau, a son of the French Huguenot
Peronneau, from whom some of the Peronneau
family in Charleston are descended. Mrs. Peronneau
died young, leaving but one daughter.
Thomas Legare, youngest son of the Huguenot
Legare, and the only child of his second wife, mar-
ried Miss Jones. They had two sons, Samuel and
Benjamin, and two daughters, Mrs. Somersal and
Mrs. Baker.
The descendants of Samuel and Benjamin Legare
are very few, and live now mostly in other States.
Mrs. Somersal had but one son, Mr. Thomas Som-
ersal, whose only daughter Sarah Somersal, was
married to Mr. William J. Grayson.
Most of Mrs. Somersal's descendants live in
Charleston, South Carolina; some of them now live
in other States.
Solomon Legare. the eldest son of the Huguenot
Legare and his English wife, married Miss Mary
Stock, a sister of Mr. Thomas Stock, whose descend-
ants now live in Charleston, South Carolina.
•46
This lady had been brought up by a devotedly
pious mother, and was herself a very pious woman.
The moral and spiritual instructions of this affec-
tionate and devoted mother, united with the kind
but strict religious family discipline of her husband,
most happily combined in training up their sons and
daughters for usefulness in life. These parents were
permitted to enjoy the happiness of seeing every one
of their children become also hopefully pious at an
earlv ajje.
This lady died of spotted fever, which was then
an epidemic in the town. "When Mrs. Legare per-
ceived the purple spots appearing on her hands, she,
with the utmost calmness called for her grave-clothes,
and with the assistance of her nurse, dressed herself
in them. She then had her family assembled around
her bed, and showing them the certain sign of ap-
proaching death, told them she had already prepared
her body for interment, and recpiested that no one
might be permitted to touch her after death, except-
ing to lift and place her corpse in the cofftn. After
this, she thanked her weeping loved ones for all
their devotion to her, blessed them, and bade them a
cheerful farewell.
Her son, Thomas, asked her, "Dear mother, are
you so willing to die?" To which she replied with
a bright smile : " O, yes, my son ; for w Eve hath
not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man, the things which God- hath prepared
for them that love him V "
Her bereaved husband survived her a few years.
He was a man of great integrity of character. He
47
joined the church at an early age, and lived up to
the requirements of the law of God in his conduct
among men; while yet, at the same time, he contin-
ued for several years destitute of real piety of heart. In
after years, Mr. Legare, speaking of this period of
his life, said, " I lived at that time a complete Phar-
isee, without even being conscious of it; for I was
trying- to work out mv own salvation by good works
and not dreaming that I was building on the wrong
foundation, till God in mercy opened my spiritual
eyes to see my mistake. I then experienced a sav-
ing change of heart, and received Christ as my
atoning sacrifice for sin, as well as my only hope of
salvation.''*
He died about the commencement of hostilities
between the Colonies and Great Britain, when, true to
the principles of cie'd and religious liberty, he was him-
self a strong advocate of the act passed to oppose
royal usurpation by force. His funeral teas the first
at which the non-consumptive agreement went into
full effect.
The following obituary notice of the eldest son of
the Huguenot Legare, shows in what light the family
were regarded bv the community in which they
lived :
Crouch's South Carolina Gazette and Country Journal,
Xov. 2 2d, 1774, says:
" Died in this Town, on Saturday last, Mr. Solo-
mon Legare, a man of most remarkable integrity of
character and unassembled piety, at the age of
seventy-one years. His remains were attended to
48
the Congregational Church on Sunday evening, by
a numerous family and many of the most respectable
inhabitants of this Town, where a short discourse
was delivered suited to the occasion.
" This was the first funeral at which the non-con-
sumption agreement took place fully. Here neither
'scarfs nor gloves were given ; the nearest relatives,
(though as sincere mourners as those who shroud
themselves in black,) appeared in their usual dress,
with the exception of a hat-band or black ribbon.
" They have the honor of being foremost in obedience
to their Countrv's decrees, and of stemming the
torrent of luxury and expense, which never appear
so absurd as when they parade at the grave.
u They have the thanks of every lover of his Coun-
try, and it is to be hoped that so laudable an exam-
ple will be universally followed, and that the wise
agreements of the Grand Council of this Empire
will ever have the fullest force of law."
The five children of Solomon Legare and Mary
Stock married as follows :
Solomon Legare, the eldest son, married Miss
Owen.
Thomas Legare, the second son, married Miss
Eliza Basnett.
Daniel Legare, the third son, married Miss
Payconi.
Mrs. John Freer, the eldest daughter, was married
to Mr. John Freer, of John's Island, and died child-
less.
Mrs. Solomon Freer, the second daughter, was
married to Mr. Solomon Freer, brother of Mr. John
Freer.
49
Mrs. Solomon Freer left two daughters, one of
whom was married to Mr. Ralph Atmar, and has
many descendants now living in South Carolina and
other States.
The youngest daughter of Mrs. Solomon Freer
was married to Mr. Hendlen, and Mrs. Hendlen's
daughter Sarah, was married to Mr. Thomas Ogier,
an Englishman dy birth, but himself also a descend-
ant of the French Huguenots. Mrs. Ogier has de-
scendants now living in Charleston, South Carolina,
in Pennsylvania and in Louisiana.
DAXIEL LEGARE,
The second son of the Huguenot, Solomon Legare
and his English wife, married Miss Peronneau.
From his dictatorial temper he was generally styled
by his friends " Oliver Cromwell.'' But he was also
a man noted for strict integrity of character, and
was immovable as a rock when he believed him-
self to be in the right. On one occasion, he was
impanelled with a jury, where eleven men were
opposed to him in making up their verdict for the
court. Mr. Daniel Legare continued firm to the
convictions of his conscience, and after starving
with them (as was the custom at that time), for
three days, he brought the whole eleven jurors
over to his opinion. In allusion to this fact, he
afterwards declared that he had never before met
with eleven such obstinate men.
Mr. Daniel Legare had three sons and two daugh-
ters, as follows :
Isaac LeLrare, who married, and lias a srreat many
descendants now living under other names ; but the
name of Legare is now almost extinct in this branch.
Nathan Legare, the second son, married his cousin,
Miss Barksdale, daughter of Mr. Thomas Barksdale,
who was a grandson of the Huguenot Legare.
Joseph Legare, the third son, married Miss Barks-
dale, a sister of Mrs. Xathan Legare, and another
daughter of Mr. Thomas Barksdale. Both of these
brothers have many descendants now living, mostly
bearing other names through marriages.
52
Mrs. Scott left but one daughter, who died un-
married.
Mrs. Doughty, the second daughter, had two
daughters, one of whom married Mr. James Mat-
thews, and the other was married to Mr. Thomas
Condy. Both sisters have descendants living.
The descendants of Mr. Daniel Legare and his
wife, Miss Peronneau, are numerous at the present
day, as the family tree shows more fully to those
interested, while these biographical sketches only
descends to the fourth generation.
THIRD GENERATION.
In the above biographical sketches, we have given
an account of the sons and daughters of the Hugue-
not, Soloman Legare, and of whom they married,
with life portraits of his two eldest sons, Solomon
and Daniel. In continuation, we will now give some
samples of the third generation, showing how the
Huguenot spirit continued to be developed in some
of his grandsons, and in what various ways Divine
Providence led them personally into the exercise of
faith and repentance, when they became Christians
in heart, as well as by profession.
SOLOMON LEGARE,
THE THIRD,
Was the grandson of the Huguenot, and the eldest
son of Solomon Legare, the second), and of his wife
Mary Stock. In his youthful days he always paid
great respect to sacred things, as he had been care-
fully taught to do, and yet he was disposed to be
very gay; and contrary to the advice of his parents,
though with their consent, he married at an early
age into a very fashionable and worldlv-minded
family, from which source he experienced, in after
life, some very severe trials. For these Huguenots
considered true piety in the wife and mother of a family,
an all important consideration. Therefore, in chos-
ing a wife, they sought for one that would assist in
training their children to be Christians.
Mr. Legare was devotedly- attached to his wife,
who came very near dvimr at the birth of her first
child, on which occasion the old family nurse, Mrs.
Parker, (a pious Dutch woman), spoke to him of the
mercv of God in sparing the life of his beloved com-
panion, and also of the new obligations and respon-
sibilities which would in future devolve upon him as
a parent. Though he had been very religiously
educated by his parents and always felt great rever-
ence for sacred things, yet up to this time he
had never felt any personal concern about the salva-
tion of his immortal soul. But now his heart was
56
touched, and the solemn address of the old nurse
made so serious an impression upon his mind that
his spirit was troubled, and he walked out to a neigh-
boring wood and there knelt down to pray. Scarcely
had he given utterance to one petition, before the
Lord gave him such a view of the innate depravity
of his heart, as seen by the eye of God, that he be-
came terrified at the lost and ruined condition of his
soul, and, starting up from his kneeling posture, he
cried aloud : " Lord, forgive me for this attempt to
pray, and I will never make another !" So saying, he
hastened back to his house.
For several days his conviction of sin continued
to give him almost insupportable anguish of mind,
but at length he succeeded in throwing off his un-
welcome convictions, and regained his usual ffayety
of spirit.
About two vears after, his wife died in odvinsr
birth to another child, and this afflicting bereavement
had the effect of brimnnir him to Christ. The work
of conversion was instantaneous ; for, as soon as the
sad tidings of his wife's death was conveyed to him
he at once recognized the hand of his Heavenly
Father's correcting love in the afflicting stroke, and
with a broken and contrite heart, he bowed submis-
sively to the will of God. From that hour to the
day of his death, about twenty years after, he lived
the consistent and earnest life of a Christian. But
he was very unfortunate in business, and the worldly
education which his wife's sister persisted in giving
his only daughter, was a source of continual uneasi-
ness to him.
57
Mr. Legare never married again after his wife's
death, and a maiden sister of his wife lived with him
and brought up his daughter. This lady had a set-
tled aversion to religion, and did evervthing in her
power, seeretly, to counteract the pious instructions
which Mr. Legare endeavored to impress upon his
daughter's mind. Contrarv to his wishes and ex-
press commands, Miss Owen also had her niece
instructed in dancing, and then clandestinely con-
veved the voting girl into scenes of dissipation. And
thus, before the father was fully awake to the evil,
his daughter was educated a thorough worldling.
This daughter, Elizabeth, was his onlv child; at
an earlv a£fe she was married to Dr. James Air, who
died but a few months after their marriage. She
had but one child by this marriage, James, who, also,
afterwards became Dr. James Air; he afterwards
married Miss Harriet Atkinson, by whom he had two
daughters — Marv Eugenia Air, and Harriet Anger-
onia Air.
A vear or two after Dr. Air's death, his widow
was married again to Col. Isaac Holmes, who had
been her first lover, and who was a half-brother of
Mr. John Bee Holmes, of Charleston, and a grand-
son of Mr. Joseph Stanyarne, of John's Island. By
this marriage Mrs. Holmes had four younger chil-
dren, namely : Elizabeth, Emily, Isaac and Henry
Holmes.
Mr. Henry Holmes, son of Col. Isaac Holmes and
his wife Elizabeth Legare, married Miss Caroline
Drayton. The name of Legare r is extinct in this
branch of the family.
58
A short time after Mrs. Holmes' second marriage,
her father, Mr. Solomon Legare, died. When the
dying father ascertained that the hour of his depar-
ture was at hand, he exhibited such mental uneasi-
ness, that his brother, Thomas, who was present,
affectionately inquired if he felt doubtful of his
interest in the atoning blood of Christ. To this
question he replied : " Xo, my brother, I have a full
assurance of my own safety in Christ, my Saviour ;
but oh ! my daughter ! my daughter ! think you that
it is an easy thin^ for a Christian father to die and
leave his only child in the bondage of sin ?"
Then turning to a servant he said : " Call Betsy
to me, and tell her to bring the child with her."
Mrs. Holmes entered the room and went to the bed-
side of her dying father, who took her hand between
«. CD '
his own, and in the most solemn and affecting man-
ner, urged her to turn from a life of pride and vanity,
to Christ, the only true source of happiness. He
also, most impressively charged her respecting the
education of her son, and taking the little James
Air into his arms, kissed and blessed him. After
which he clasped his hands together, and looking
upward, he cried out with a strong voice : " Xow,
Lord Jesus, cut this work short!" and instantly
expired, in the fifty-fourth year of his age.
THOMAS LEGARE,
The second son of Solomon Lesrare and Mary Stock,
was first brought under conviction of sin at the early
age of seven years ; these convictions never again
entirely wore off, though he was at some times more
seriously impressed than at others. At the age of
fifteen he experienced a saving change of heart, after
having vainly endeavored for several vears, to work
out his own salvation by good works. At this time
he entered into a solemn but secret covenant with
God, to devote himself and all that he had to the
service of God, in a life of Christian usefulness and
faithfulness. But he did not then come forward and
unite himself with the visible Church of Christ, bv
a public profession, as in after years, he thought and
said he should have done at that time, because of
his youthful age. Yet, even then, he was regarded
by all who knew him, as a decidedly pious boy.
At the age of eighteen years he became attached
to Miss Eliza Basnett, a verv vounsr and beautiful
girl, who was the only child of John Basnett, Esq.,
an English crentleman sent out to Carolina bv George
Ill, as Master in Chancery, which office he
held for many years in Charleston. Mr. Basnett
lived to old age, universally respected as an upright,
amiable and very benevolent gentleman. His great-
grandson, the Hon. Hugh Swinton Legare, during
his practice of law, was engaged in winding up sev-
eral cases in chancery, which were first brought
60
before his great-grandfather, more than one hundred
years before.
Mr. Basnett lost his wife while his daughter was
very young, and he never married again, but com-
mitted the care of his daughter's education to a
worthy Irish lady, Miss Mary Glade, who had come
out to Carolina with Mrs. Basnett as a companion.
This lady was advanced in life," and devotedly
attached to the little motherless Eliza, who was
taught to love and respect her as a parent. Such
was the female friend who, with judicious kindness,
trained Eliza Basnett up to womanhood under her
father's roof. She was, also, the darling and pet of
her father, who thought nothing too costly to be
lavished upon her, which she could desire, or his
wealth could obtain. Yet, though thus indulged
and petted, jvliza Basnett had never been taught her
need of a Saviour, as a sinner, or her responsibility
to God as a woman. It is true that the best moral
principles had been instilled into her mind, both by
Miss Glado and her father ; for he was a high-toned
moralist, though he was a Deist in his religious
views. But, though Mr. Basnett professed to be
himself a Deist, he never attempted to make his
daughter one. Still, she was educated altogether
for this world, and partook freely of its pleasures
and gayeties, while the only religious instruction
she received, was in her attendance on public wor- <
ship at the Episcopal Church once every Sabbath.
Thus, as she afterwards said, she had grown up to
womanhood in a Christian land, without having ever
been taught the way of salvation.
61
Such was Eliza Basnett at fifteen years of age,
when the youthful Thomas Legare first placed his
affections upon her, and for a time, he seems to have
been so absorbed by his passion for her, that he
never paused to consider the circumstances which
apparently unfitted her for becoming his wife, accord-
ing to the views which he had imbibed as a serious
Huguenot Christian. But it is said that " Matches
are made in Heaven,'' and, judging by the results of
this union, we certainly think that this match was
first ordered and made there, before it was consum-
mated on earth.
Mr. Legare afterwards said, that his love for her
was so irresistible, that, for a season, he was drawn
into a course of conduct which was at variance with
the dictates of his conscience. For, in order to
enjoy Miss Basnett's society and to accompany her,
he frequented scenes of gayety tor which he had no
taste, and there mingled with the frivolous votaries of
fashionable follies which his soul loathed. Ever and
anon his conscience reproachfully told him that he
was thus losing and wasting precious time, and also
cheating his immortal soul out of that intellectual
culture for which he thirsted, for the attainment of
which he was then surrounded by the most propi-
tious circumstances in life; and that he was thus
actually unfitting himself for those more elevating
and ennobling pursuits in life which he felt that a
merciful Creator had designed him to engage in.
Notwithstanding these thoughts, he still continued
spell-bound by the fascinating attractions of his lady-
love, and resisted the convictions of his judgment.
62
After pursuing this course for some time, as lie
was returning home from a dancing party one even-
ing, to which he had accompanied Miss Basnett and
others, he fell into a very serious train of thought
on this subject While thus engaged in a thought-
ful review of his past conduct, he found the follow-
ing inquiry propounded to his mind with great power :
"Will this manner of life answer for you?"
His soul instantly responded :
" Alas ! it will not, for it is at variance with mv
better principles, and, God helping me with bis
grace to withstand temptation to the contrary, I will
put a stop to it at once!" From that hour he
resolved to follow Christ fall, at any and every sac-
rifice, cost what it might.
He then communicated to his parents the fact of
his deep and long attachment to Miss Basnett. and
told them, in confidence, of the mental struggle which
was wringing his heart with anguish, for lie felt that
he must give up the hope of marrying the object of
his devoted and cherished affection. Brought up as
she had been, without any sound religious instruc-
tion, her father a Deist in principle, and she accus-
tomed to live in a constant round of fashionable
amusement and worldly pleasure, how could he ex-
pect her to give up all this for him, and to conform
herself to the strictly religious principles and quiet
life of a Bible Christian, such as he felt his wife
must be ? Again, how could such an one assist him
in training up a family for the service of God?
Lastly ; his principles as a ** Huguenot" required him
to marry according to the injunction of Scrip-
ture : " Onlv in the Lord."
63
His parents, while tliey greatly admired the young
lady, objected to the connection for the same reasons,
and they tenderly advised him to try and overcome
his affection for her. The disapprobation of his
father and mother, together with the scruples of
his own mind, induced him for some time to strug-
gle against his love for Miss Basnett, who was sur-
rounded by other admirers and suitors, and, at last,
he absented himself altogether from her society;
but all in vain, his affection for her rather increased
than diminished while he continued to absent
himself from her presence.
At length, one moonlight evening he was taking a
solitary walk at the end of Meeting Street, which was
at that time called White Point, and is now known
as the South Batterv, and thinking over his secret
heart sorrow, when a youthful party of his acquaint-
ances, who were also on their way to inhale the salt
breeze from the ocean, approached the spot where
he stood watching the moonbeams as they played
upon the rippling waters. Among the group he
recognized the voice of his loved Eliza, who was
then too near tor him to retreat without being seen
and recognized by her. At this moment his throb-
bing heart whispered : k% AVho knows but what I
may win her to Christ if she becomes my wife ?"
The persuasion was so strong in his mind that thus
it would indeed be, that he immediately joined the
party of young people, and renewed his attentions to
Miss Basnett on the spot.
The next day he made known his determination
to his parents, and told them of his intention of
64
addressing Miss Basnett immediately, to which they
consented.
A few days after, Mr. Leg-are made a proposal of
marriage to Miss Basnett — in doing which, he can-
didly acquainted her with the whole history of his
love for her, told her of all the religious scruples he
had felt in prospect of being united with her in mar-
riage, and how he had struggled to overcome his
affection for her, until the hope arose in his heart
that he might succeed in winning her to Christ if
she should become his wife. And then he asked her
if she could and would resign the gay world, with all
its attractions and unsatisfying pleasures for his sake,
and become such a wife as a Christian man ought
to wed.
Mr. Legare's suit was accepted, for Miss Basnett
had from the first preferred him to all of her other
suitors, and she now acknowledged to him that his
conversations with her on the subject of religion had
made a deep impression on her mind. Also, that
she had secretly reverenced and loved him for those
very points in his character which he had feared
would prove a barrier to their union. In short, Miss
Basnett promised Mr. Legare to give up the gay
world; to attend his church with him constantly,
and to conform her conduct to the dictates of his
conscience in all of their family arrangements, after
she should become his wife. All of which she after-
wards faithfully performed, and to the dav of her
death, many years after, she ever made him a most
dutiful and affectionate wife, while, as a mother, she
had few equals. Yet, though Mrs. Legare strictly
65
conformed to all of her husband's religious family
rules in the training of their children, and never was
known to exercise any influence in her family con-
trary to his principles, she did not herself become a
professor of religion for some years after her mar-
riage. But when she did make that public profes-
sion of her faith in Christ, she was recognized as a
bright and shining light in the Church of Christ, by
all who knew her : and after her death, an account
of her Christian life and happy death was published
in some of the English and Scotch magazines.
The following is an extract from a manuscript now
nearly a hundred years old:
" Mrs. Eliza Basnett Legare was born in Charles-
ton, Oct. 29th, 1734, and was baptized by Rev. Mr.
Dwight. She was the only surviving child of John
Basnett, Esq., who was Master in Chancery, and
came from England to this Province. Eliza Basnett
was married to Mr. Thomas Legare on the 14th of
June, 1753. They had thirteen -children, only four
of whom survived them. She departed this life on
Feb. 5th, 1798, aged sixty-three years. An account
of the remarkably serene and triumphant death of
Mrs. Eliza Basnett Legare. has been published in
the London Ei:angelical Magazine"
The Rev. George Whitefield, the world-renowned
preacher of that day, was an intimate friend of Mr.
Thomas Legare, and he often preached in the old
Congregational (Circular) Church during his visits
to Charleston. Mrs. Legare always took great pleas-
ure in hearing Mr. Whitefield preach; and on
several occasions, when quite a gay young girl, she
66
had gone to hear a sermon from him in preference
to attending her dancing school, so much was she
pleased with his eloquence. At this time. Mrs. Le-
gare was just recovering from a lit of extreme illnes,
but having heard that Mr. WTiitetield was, on that
Sabbath morning, to preach hte last sermon hi Charles-
ton, she expressed a great desire to go to church and
hear that farewell sermon. The 'lay being very cold,
and her health so feeble, her husband, who was
always very careful of her, refused his consent to her
leaving the house — upon which refusal she began to
weep. The old family nurse, who had been for
weeks in charge of Mrs. Legare, on seeing: her dis-
tress, said to Mr. Legare: "La, sir; how do you
know but what this great desire to hear the Word
preached, may be God's work? Let her go well
wrapped up from the cold !*' To which Mr. Legare
replied: " Well, Mrs. Parker, if you think she may
safely venture to church, I will not farther object to
her going."
Under that sermon from Mr. Whitefield, Mrs.
Legare was brought, for the first time, to feel the
deepest convictions of sin ; and, though she was
naturally of a remarkably cheerful disposition, she
continued for three months after this, in anguish of
soul, fearing that she was eternally lost. At length,
one Sabbath morning, her husband, finding that she
did not come down stairs as usual, to go with him to
church, went to her bed-room in quest of her, and
there he saw her seated in tearless despair. She
refused to go to church, saying, that every sermon
she heard only increased her damnation. Mr. Le-
67
gare seated himself by her side and talked to her of
Christ's love for dying sinners, till she began to
weep ; and then he persuaded her to accompany him
to church. She did so, and heard Rev. Dr. Percy
preach from these words : ; - 1 will give him a white
stone, and in the stone a new name written, which
no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it." Rev.
ii: 17.
After service, Mr. Legare handed his wife into
her carriage, along with their children, but walked
home himself. On entering his house, he found her,
to his surprise, calm and smiling and looking up
into his face, she said : "O! my husband! I have
that 'white stone with a new name written in it,' — I
have found my Saviour!"
Mrs. Legare lived many years after this a cheerful
and consistent Christian, who never again felt a
doubt of her own personal salvation ; on the contrary
she enjoyed a full assurance to the end of her life.
She was seldom, however, heard to speak of her own
spiritual exercises to any one but bur husband, until
her last sickness; when her lips were wonderfully
opened to speak the praises of her God.
After a protracted illness of two years* continu-
ance, she was death struck on a Thursday, and was
dying slowly till the following Monday, during
which time her physical sufferings were intense.
Her breathing was extremely difficult, and her
extremities were entirely dead for two days before
the breath left her body ; but her soul was perfectly
serene and peaceful through it all. On Sunday she
68
had all her family assembled around her bed, and
requested them to sing Dr. Watts' 17th Psalm.
" Lord, I am thine, but thou wilt prove
My faith, my patience, and my love ;
"When men of spite against me join,
They are the sword — the hand is thine.
Their hope and portion lie below,
'Tis all the happiness they know ;
'Tis all they seek ; they take their shares,
And leave the rest among their heirs.
"What sinners value. I resign ;
Lord, 'tis enough that thou art mine : —
I shall behold thy blissful face,
And stand complete in righteousness.
This life's a dream, an empty show ;
But the bright world to which I go,
Hath joys substantial and sincere : —
"When shall I wake and find me there?
glorious hour ! O blest ab >de !
1 shall be near and like my God ;
And flesh and sin no more control
The sacred pleasures of my soul.
My flesh shall slumber in the ground.
Till the last trumpets joyful sound :
Then burst the chains with sweet surprise,
And in my Saviour's image rise.''
Some time after, her son James, observing how
great her sufferings were, asked : kt Dear mother,
how are you now ?" to which she replied : " Suffer-
ing greatly in the body, my son." Bursting into
tears, he answered : "True, dear mother, but your
precious Saviour suffered more for you." With
brightening eyes she responded : " yes, my son ;
O ves !"
69
The next day, her husband said to her ; i% I per-
eeive, my dear wife, that the struggle is nearly over ;
you have always been very tearful on the waters of
the Ashley river: but, tell me how it is now in the
waters of Jordan ?" " O, I do not fear," she replied,
" for my Saviour is with me, and will earry me
safely through." Shortv after she fell gentlv "asleep
in Jesus,"' aged sixtv-three vears, A. D. 1798.
Mr. Legare had ever been a most devoted and
affectionate husband, yet he was wonderfully sus-
tained under this heartfelt bereavement, and his de-
portment was calm and submissive. As he was
about to leave the chamber of death, he heard the
physieian, Dr. McCalla, who had witnessed the elos-
ing scene, expressing to Mrs. Legare's son, James,
his surprise at the calmness, fortitude and peaceful
hope, with which the departed saint had met and
passed through death. He said : " I have been
upon the field of battle, and have seen men die
there. I have stood beside death-beds under almost
all circumstances, but never before have I seen one
die like her. To think how such a feeble, emaciated
lingering sufferer could so deliberately, calmly and
joyfully meet and yield to death, is unaccountable to
me."
At that moment Mr. Legare approached, and,
hearing the remark, replied : " Can you not under-
stand, Doctor, how this can be ? Then go to Mount
Calvarv, and there learn how a sinner saved bv
grace can die thus." Having said this, the bereaved
husband passed on to his lonely room to seek there
in prayer the sympathy of his God under the heart-
rending affliction.
70
Br. McCalla went down stairs, and as he opened
the street door Col. Joshua Ward entered and asked
how Mrs. Legare then was. « She has just expired,
sir," replied the doctor. « Ah !" said Col. Ward,
u and how does Mr. Legare hear the hlow ?" " Won-
derfully supported," was the reply. " Yes, I sup-
pose so," said the other, « for he is a good deal of a
philosopher." « Philosopher! philosopher! ah. sir,
depend upon it. there is more than philosophy there."'
answered the doctor, as he departed with tearful
eyes. This scene in the house of mourning was
blest to the conversion of the physician, who up to
this time was a great skeptic, but was thus led to
seek for himself an interest in the atoning blood and
righteousness of Christ.
When Mr. Legare lirst experienced a saving
change of heart he was but fifteen years of age. and
at that time, supposed himself to be too young to
take such solemn obligations upon himself as were
involved in a public profession of religion. He
afterwards said that he had committed a great error
in so thinking and acting — an error, the result of
which was, that he could never again see his wav
clear enough to approach the communion table of
his Lord, for thirty-five years after he became a
Christian.
Yet he was all through life respected by others as
a consistent and devoted child of God, who frowned
down impiety with a powerful influence, whenever
it was developed in the conduct and conversation of
those with whom he associated. He was also a man
of such sound judgment and integrity of character,
71
that he was frequently appealed to for advice in tem-
poral matters, and appointed sole arbitrator in set-
tling disputes among his neighbors. So deeply
learned was he in the Scriptures of truth, and well
acquainted with the principles of human nature, that
he was consulted far and near, in cases of conscience,
and also summoned to attend the sick and dying,
both to direct the alarmed sinner to the cross of
Christ, as well as to administer the consolations of
the gospel to those that needed them.
But, though his piety was of such a deep and
decided tone, and though he could administer the
balm of consolation to other contrite mourners, he
was ever " writing bitter things against himself."
And he often endured such strong temptations, that
he was frequently in the depths of spiritual distress.
Several times when his wife and children were try-
ing to comfort him under those strong temptations,
he said to them: "Xever do you ask God to give
you a view of the whole depravity of your heart, for
it is a sight which vou cannot bear. I once asked
God to show me rav heart as it was in his sight, and
he answered the prayer by giving me a view which
has ever since crushed me under the weight of rnv
sins. Only ask for such a view of your sinfulness
by nature, as will serve to keep you humble before
God, without overwhelming vour soul with anguish
such as I have endured/"
Ministers and private Christians often urged him
to unite with the visible Church of Christ in cele-
brating the dying love of Christ, but his constant
reply was : "lam too great a sinner ; I fear to dis-
72
honor my Master's cause, by proving unfaithful in
the discharge of duty." The Rev. George "White-
field, with whom he was personally intimate, on one
occasion sat bv him for hours trying to convince him
that it was his duty before God to unite with the
Church in receiving the Sacrament of the Lord's
Supper, assuring him that there could be no doubt
of his being a precious child of God. But at last,
finding Mr. Legare still persisting in denouncing
himself as too unworthy a sinner to make the ven-
ture, Mr. Whitefield started up exclaiming in his
own peculiar way : " Well, well, my friend, if you
will be damned, though Christ has died to save you,
then go on' fighting and striving to the end, and
hell will be all the cooler for it at last !" This speech
had an electrical effect upon Mr. Legare's mind, for
he instantly perceived that his verv struggles against
sin was evidence of his being in a gracious state.
And, not Ions? after, he saw his wav clear to go for-
ward and receive the sacrament of the Lord's
Supper.
Mr. Legare had been for thirty years before this, so
identified with the cause of Christ in the minds of
others, that his advice and counsel in spiritual things
were often sought even by the pastors of his church,
as well as bv its deacons and other members. AVhile,
at the same time, he was himself so under the influ-
ence of constitutional despondency, that he was con-
stantly fearing and doubting whether he was person-
ally entitled to the blessings of the covenant of grace.
At length one Friday afternoon, during the sermon
preached preparatory to the administration of the
73
sacrament of the Lord's Supper on the following
Sabbath, Mr. Legare felt so powerfully urged to
unite with the church, that as soon as the church
service was closed, he walked up to the pastor and
offered himself as a candidate for admission to the
table of his Lord. Dr. Keith immediately sum-
moned the deacons to his side, and made known to
them the decision of Mr. Legare, and, rejoicing that
one whom they considered so eminently a child of
God, had at last resolved to make this public pro-
fession of faith in Christ as his duty to the church,
thev all immediately stretched out to him the hand
of fellowship, and welcomed him into the church
with joy. So Sudden was Mr. Legare's determina-
tion and action, that his own wife was ignorant of it
till after the business was concluded. This was soon
followed by the public profession of several others
in the congregation, who testified that they had
hitherto been restrained from thus doing their duty
by Mr. Legare's example, feeling, that if so good a
man held back, they were far less worthy to approach
the table of the Lord. After Mr. Legare had thus
united with the church, we hear nothing more of his
falling into such distressing temptations and deep
despondency, and his usefulness in the church and
in the world became greater than ever it had been
before.
Doubtless such desponding views in one who evi-
dently lived a life of holiness, will seem very strange
and unaccountable to those who are themselves
strangers to the depths of the human heart, and to
the devices of Satan, who is often permitted to assail
74
God's choicest servants and dearest children, with a
force and power of temptation, which well nigh
crushes them for a season into utter despondency,
and which those who have never been thus exercised
can form no conception of. Witness Job and his
friends as narrated in scripture, Martin Luther and
others, as we read in modern history.
The wisdom of God ordains that it should be thus
with them, nor may we doubt that such a dispensa-
tion involves in it purposes of love and mercy
towards the soul thus exercised, though God's
reasons for it may be concealed from us short-sighted
creatures. In some instances, these bufferings of
the enemv mav be needful for the eminently useful,
whose hearts are disposed to foster spiritual pride,
or there may be some other constitutional evil, or
weakness for which it may serve as a corrective.
But, in general, these dark and desponding views in
a Christian arise, either from a constitutional ten-
dency to melancholy, or from a want of well bal-
anced conceptions of the plan of salvation and the
doctrines of redemption.
• Particularly this is the case when a Christian is
forever dwelling on the evil of sin as developed in
his own heart and practice, without lifting the eye
of faith to the onlv antidote for sin, the blood of
Christ crucified, and is looking for that in his own
heart which is only to be found in the righteousness
of Christ, imputed to us as our only plea for justifi-
cation before God. Is it any wonder that such are
overwhelmed with fear, or that they seem at times
almost to despair of mercy from the heart-searching
75
and veins-trying Jehovah, in whose si^ht the verv
heavens are not clean ? That is not genuine humil-
itv, though it wears the garb and assumes the name
which makes a sinner cry : " I am too sinful to be
saved." It is rather the fruit of a legal spirit in a
heart too proud to be saved by grace alone. For
" The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin :" I John,
1 : 7. And " saves them to the uttermost that come
unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make
intercession for them." Ileb. 7 : 25.
In Mr. Legare's case there was a natural tendency
to melancholy, and the tempter was permitted to
assail his soul through this constitutional infirmity,
and by means of it to cloud and darken his mind at
times to a great degree, but never succeeded in de-
stroying his influence as a Christian, for the irreli-
gious and profane alike respected his character, and
feared his censure.
Col. J. W , who had contracted a habit of
swearing and uttering oaths in conversation, on his
return from Europe called to visit Mr. Legare's fam-
ily, and out of respect to his well known piety,
endeavored to omit the use of his oaths while in Mr.
Legare's presence. But from the force of habit
repeatedly caught himself in the act of swearing,
and as often, apologized for so doing. At length
Mr. Legare replied with great solemnity : " Cease,
sir, from offering me apologies for the insults you
are heaping upon your Creator ! The Command-
ment says, * Thou shalt not take the name of the
Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold
him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.'" The
reproof was felt and the swearer silenced.
76
Mr. Thomas Legare was instrumental in the con-
version of Mr. Bernard Elliott, from the deistieal
sentiments that he had imbibed early in life, and did
not hesitate to profess openly. Mr. Legare was one
day on a visit to the Elliott family, when the conver-
sation turned on the truths of revealed religion. The
Rev. Dr. Percy, (the brother-in-law of Mr. Elliott),
had often conversed with Mr. Elliott on this subject
without convincing the Deist by his arguments that
his views were erroneous, and being present on this
occasion, Dr. Percy led the conversation to this
point and then withdrew from it in silence, leaving
Mr. Elliott to discuss the subject with Mr. Lesrare.
After a long debate in which Mr. Legare met Mr.
Elliott's deistieal sentiments and arguments with
confuting passages from the scriptures, he left the
house.
Some weeks after, Mr. Elliott was taken ill and
Mr. Legare was summoned to attend his death-bed.
On his arrival there, Mr. Elliott thus addressed him :
" I have sent for vou, Mr. Leo-are, to tell vou that
the conversation I had with you some weeks since,
has been the means of enlightening my mind to the
truth of revelation, and convinced me of the Divinity
of Christ. Your arguments confounded me, and
the passages of scripture which you referred to con-
vinced my mind. Thus I have been led to embrace
the doctrines of Christ, my Saviour, and I am now
dying happy in the Lord. 0, sir, I shall meet and
rejoice with you in Heaven !"
During the life of Mr. Thomas Legare occurred
the scenes of the Revolutionary war with Great
77
Britain, in which he proved himself to be also a
zealous patriot and a good soldier — his two eldest
sons, John and James, also served in the army as
commissioned officers, at a very early age. An old
record says of him :
" Thomas Lesrare, the grandson f the Huguenot,
and the second son of Solomon Legare and his wife,
Mary Stock, was one of the faithful few who, at the
darkest period of our history, with a Roman firm-
ness, refused to submit even when farther resistance
seemed hopeless. He was a man of a most superior
judgment, of inflexible integrity and courage, an
excellent theologian and an exemplary Christian.
He was one of the i Council of Safety * during the
Revolution, and was for many years 'member of
Assembly. ' "
Thomas Legare and his wife Eliza Basnett, had
thirteen children — only six of them lived to mature
age-
John Legare, the eldest, died young, unmarried.
James Legare married Miss Mary Wilkinson.
Thomas Le°;are married Miss Ann Eliza Berwick.
Solomon Legare married Miss Mary Swinton.
Catharine Legare was married to Rev. J. S. Keith,
D. D.
Marv Legare was married to Mr. Kinsev Burden.
All of the above named, married children of Mr.
Thomas Legare and his wife, Eliza Basnett, except-
ing Mrs. Keith, left large families, and more of their
descendants still bear the name of Legare, than in
any other branch of the Huguenot's family.
78
Mr. Solomon Legare, the Huguenot, had a great
manv of his descendants ensealed in the Revolution-
arv stru^le with Great Britain : his three sons, Sol-
omon, Daniel, and Thomas; his eight grandsons,
Solomon, Thomas, Daniel, Isaac, Joseph, Xathan,
Benjamin and Samuel ; his three great-grandsons,
John, James and Joseph; all of these fourteen bear-
ing the name of Legare, and several of them held
commissions in the American army. Besides these,
a number of his grandsons not bearing the name of
Legare, who were the sons of his daughters and
crrand-dauirhters, making a total of thirty-two men
who bore arms, and were engaged in lighting for
the liberties of their country during that time which
" tried men's souls."
The following narrative of facts which occurred
during that season of trial, was written out nearly
forty years ago by the same individual who now pens
these lines. And what is here related is in no
degree fiction, but is a simple statement of scenes
and events as they occurred, received from the lips
of individuals who were in their childhood and youth,
either themselves actors in, or ear and eye witnesses
of the scenes herein portrayed. This narrative may.
therefore be relied upon as an authentic history of
some of the trials which our ancestors endured in
their struggle for political freedom from foreign
domination and oppression, which struggle ended,
after a seven years' war, in the establishment of the
independence of the United States of America. The
scenes herein delineated were enacted chiefly on
John's Island, in Charleston and in the surrounding
79
country of South Carolina, and the above named
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Legare were very prominent
personages in many of these scenes.
Mr. Legare's family, like many others, suffered
much from the depredations of the British soldierv,
and had other protracted and bitter trials to endure,
but the providence of God was manifested frequently
in a very remarkable manner for their relief, protec-
tion and deliverance. Many of these occurrences
and emergencies are worthy of being cherished in
the memory of his descendants, as illustrative of the
energy and integrity of his character under severe
temptations, as well as demonstrative of that great
faith in his covenant God, which sustained him in
the severest straits. Besides this, these wonderful
special providences in the time of need, area power-
ful testimony to the faithfulness of God in helping
and preserving all those who put their trust in Him.
REMINISCENCES
OF THE
REVOLUTIONARY WAR
WITH
GREAT BRITAIN.
Very soon after the commencement of hostilities
between the Colonies of Great Britain in North
America and the British Government, a militia com-
pany composed of gentlemen, who were planters on
John's Island, was ordered down to Chaplin's Point,
on the Kiawah river, near Stono inlet, to keep a look-
out guard on that portion of the coast. All remain-
ing in quiet and safety, they, after some weeks, sent
an invitation to their families and others on the
Island, to spend a day with them at their encamp-
ment, which invitation was accepted by all the ladies
excepting Mrs. Thomas Legare, who declined to be
one of the party, saying that she felt too sad for
merrv-makin£.
As yet, the good folks of John's Island knew
nothing of the horrors of war, except from hearsay,
and the anticipated excursion was regarded by most
of them as a frolic, for which every matron prepared
the most choice refreshments that well-stocked store-
rooms and pantries could produce. And all these
" good things," were sent ahead of them in wagons
to Chaplin's Poiut, to await their arrival at the
encampment.
82
The road to Chaplin's Point passed through Mr.
Thomas Legare's plantation, and as each family
drove by the house, one after another stopped for a
few moments to persuade Mrs. Legare to change her
mind and to accompany them, but all in vain. At
last 'Mrs. William Stanyarne and her daughters
drove up to the steps, and urged Mrs. Legare to go
with them, saying : "We are going to have a regu-
lar 'merry-make' at the Point to-day.'* Mrs. Le-
gare replied: "Surely, Mrs. Stanyarne, this is no
time for merriment, while our country is in such dis-
tress, and our families are exposed to so much dan-
ger ! Both my husband and my sons are absent,
engaged in the service of their country, and, for
aught that we know to the contrary, they may at this
very time be in danger from the enemy. Indeed, I
have no heart for a frolic." Mrs. Stanyarne gayly
responded: " O my good lady ! I too have a son in
the army, but I am such a patriot that I have been
wishing my four daughters were all sons, that
they also might go and fight the battles of their
country.*" So saying, the whole party drove off
from the door in high glee.
But in less than two hours after, the whole caval-
cade was seen returning at full speed, and among
the first came Mrs. William Stanvarne, exclaiming,
in a terrified tone, as she passed the house: k ' Oh,
Mrs. Legare, we are all lost !"
Close behind came another and another chaise in
rapid succession, with their attendant equestrians —
all rushing by in Jehu-style, and every individual
apparently in such consternation that no one among
83
them could be induced to stop long enough to
answer Mrs. Legatee's importunate cry of—" Tell me,
for Heaven's sake! what is the matter?" Last of
all came Mrs. St. John and her family, and this
lady, who was less frightened than the others,
stopped to tell Mm Legare that the ladies had been
alarmed by seeing two boats putting in from sea, and
one of them evidently in pursuit of the other; that
they supposed the foremost boat to be their husbands
returning from scouting, and the hindmost one to
be the British in pursuit of them. At which sis;ht,
the ladies had been seized with a panic and hurried
off to their homes. Mrs. St. John added: "And
after all, it may be a false alarm ?"
Such it proved to be. For the gentlemen return-
ing from their post of observation at the mouth of
Stono Inlet, had seen a boat manned with negroes
in advance of their own, and for their own amuse-
ment, pretending to be the British, had chased the
boat tilled with negroes, who, becoming alarmed
at the pursuit pulled hard at their oars to escape. It
was this race that the ladies had seen and taken
fright at. And when the gentlemen reached their
station at Chaplin's Point, they found a feast spread
for their entertainment consisting of the best and
richest dishes, but to their great disappointment, not
one of their invited guests could be seen or found,
and even their negro servants had vanished out of
sight for fear of the British.
Some time after this the British troops actually
landed on Simon's Island, (now called Seabrook's
Island), from which John's Island is separated on
84
the south-west only by a creek. Here another
amusing incident occurred, which beguiled the
enemy into the belief that the Island was defended
by a large body of soldiers, which was exactly the
reverse of the truth in the case.
It must be borne in mind that the Colonists had no
regular army of their own, as the British crovernment
had at their command, and the armv which was col-
lected and armed for their defence by the Colonists,
was, at the commencement of the war, altogether com-
posed of militia companies hastily enrolled. These
companies consisted, not of men who were drilled
and trained soldiers, but of men, who, at the call of
their country, had left their several avocations in
civil life to fight for their liberties. Even their offi-
cers generally knew very little about military tactics,
and consequently made many mistakes before their
own experience had taught them the art of war. Yet it
was to these very citizen soldiers that God eventually
gave the victory, in their struggle for Independence
from foreign domination and oppression.
A company of about fifty such volunteer soldiers
were stationed at the Presbyterian Church in the
centre of the Island, and a scouting party had been
sent by them to that point on John's Island which is
nearest to Simon's Island, to watch from thence the
movements of the enemy's vessels on the coast.
This party of scouts had a seargant in command,
whose icritten instructions were : That if the enemy
attempted to land their troops on the beach at Si-
mon's Island, thev should immediately fire their
cannon as a signal to the inhabitants on the Island,
85
and then retreat quickly to the main body of troops at
the church. Accordingly, when the scouts saw the
British ships commence landing their soldiers on
Simon's Island, these Tyros in military warfare, not
only fired their signal cannon, but retreated with
fife and drum in full sound of the enemy's ears,
thus informing them in what direction they were
retreating. A party of the British were immediately
sent in pursuit of the scouts, but had not proceeded
far on their track when they picked up the written
instructions which the scouts had dropped in their
hasty retreat. The British officer supposing that
"the main body of troops,"' spoken of in the instruc-
tions, referred to a large body of troops in reserve at
the church, hastily retreated back to their ships with
his men, where they re-embarked and left the shore.
But there were two concealed Tories then living on
John's Island, and from them the British learned
the real state of affairs. Accordingly, about two
months after the British troops again lauded a forag-
ing party on John's Island, and the alarm being
given, most of the gentlemen hastened to remove
their families to Charleston. Mr. Thomas Legare's
plantation being some miles distant from Stono
river, he drove his family down to MeCall's landing,
which is the nearest point to the city, and his largest
boat had been sent there to meet them, and convey
them from thence to the city.
Just as the family were seated in the carriages and
about to leave their own house to go to McCall's
landing, the overseer's wife, Mrs. Humphries, came
to Mrs. Legare and asked what was to be done with
86
the family plate and other valuables which they
were leaving on the plantation. Mrs. Legare replied:
" Indeed, Mrs. Humphries, I do not know ! Do what
you can, hut I expect the British will be here pres-
ently and will take everything from you." So say-
ing they drove off as rapidly as they could to escape
themselves.
Mrs. Humphries immediately called two trusty
servants, and with their assistance, she packed away
in boxes all the silver and other valuables left in her
care and then secretlv buried the boxes — thev three
being the only persons to whom the place of con-
cealment was known. And in that spot all these
things remained in safety until the close of the war —
the servants keeping the seeret ; though one of the
negro men who had assisted Mrs. Humphries in
burying the boxes afterwards joined the British and
remained some time with them on the Island, yet he
never betrayed the trust reposed in him on that
occasion.
An elderlv gentleman on John's Island, Mr. John
Freer, who was too old for army service, had re-
mained neutral. As such he took protection from
the British Crown and then remained on John's
Island as the protector of the ladies and children left
there, while their fathers and brothers, husband- and
sons, were en^a^ed in niditin^ for their country.
Mr. Freer's tirst wife was Mr. Thomas Legare's
sister, and a very warm friendship and affection ex-
isted between these brothers-in-law all through their
lives, though their opinions differed widely in some
things. Mr. Freer believed it impossible for the
87
Colonists to succeed in establishing their Independ-
ence, but his sympathies were entirely with his
oppressed countrymen. He had, at that time, a large
family by his second marriage, and his son Charles
served in the American army as soon as he was old
enough to hear arms.
But to return to Mr. Legare's family on their way
to Charleston : They reached McCalPs landing in
safetv, hut when thev were getting into the hoat to
go on to the town, Mr. Legare discovered that his
trunk of valuable papers was not in the hoat. This
trunk of papers had been sent from the plantation
along with other things, to Mr. Freer's house on the
hanks of Abbepoola Creek, where Mr. Legare's
boats were usually kept, in order to he removed to
Charleston along with the family ; hut the servants
had neglected in their hurry to put it in the boat.
One of the hoat hands remembered that lie had seen
the trunk in Mr. Freer's piazza. As soon as Mr.
Legare ascertained this fact, he directed the family
to await his return, mounted a swift horse and
started off in pursuit of his trunk of papers. But
he had not gone two miles before he met a negro
man, who stopped him, saying: "Mas Legare,
where are you going, the English are all at the
meeting house, (now Presbyterian Church) and if
you go, they will *ure to catch you!"
Thus warned, Mr. Legare paused and asked :
" Then will you carry a note to Mr. John Freer, for
me?"
" Xo, sir; for the English will sarch me and take
it from me. But thev can't make me talk if I don't
ss
choose to ; so, if you tell me what vou want, I'll «-o
tell Mr. Freer."
Mr. Legare replied : - That is true; go, then, and
tell Mr. Freer, that I request him to take care of the
trunk left in his piazza, containing my papers."
Having said this, and given a reward to the neirro,
Mr. Legare turned his horse's head and ran him
back to MeCall's landing, hurried his family into the
boat and crossed Stono river with all expedition
intending to send back for his horses which were all
left tied at MeCall's landing; but scarcely had the
boat reached the opposite shore of the Stono, when
they saw a squad of British soldiers ride down to
the spot they had just left and take possession of all
their horses. Of course, they pushed forward for
Charleston with all expedition, and reached their
destined port in safety.
The negro sent to Mr. Freer faithfully performed
the errand entrusted to him. The trunk of papers
remained in Mr. Freer's possession till the close of
the war, and would not have been equally safe any
where else ; for nothing under his roof was ever
meddled with by the British soldiers at any time
during the war.
The British only held possession of John's Island
for a short time, and as soon as it was vacated by
them the families of the planters returned to their
plantations on it, and continued in quiet for a season ;
but when General Prevost took possession of Wap-
poo Cut and James Island, in the year 1779, their
troubles commenced in earnest and continued to the
close of the war.
89
In the month of May, 1779, a company of Amer-
ican militia, composed chiefly of the inhabitants of
John's and the neighboring Islands, under the com-
mand of Captain Benjamin Mathews, together with
another company of the Port Royal militia, com-
manded by Captain Robert Barnwell, wrere stationed
at Raven's settlement, then owned by a grandson of
the former, Mr. John Raven Mathews. Just a little
north of them, on James* Island, was the encamp-
ment of the British army, commanded hv General
Prevost.
On the 20th of May, Captain Mathews marched
his men down to the bank of the Stono and there
paraded them in view of the enemy. Mr. Thomas
Legare being one of the " Council of Safety," ven-
tured a remonstrance with the Captain, on the im-
prudence of what he was about to do, and he, not
liking the interference, some sharp words passed be-
tween the two, who were friends and neighbors on
the Island. After the parade was over Mr. Legare
addressed Captain Mathews thus: tk Well, Captain,
you will know by to-morrow whether you have acted
wisely or not. I tell you that the British on James
Lsland have, with the aid of their glasses, counted
every man vou have in vour ranks, and. despising
the weakness of vour force, thev will cross the river
to-night, surprise your sentinels and take you all
prisoners of war. Xow, as I have no desire to fall
so ingloriously into their hands. I request you to
send me to join the guard at Chaplin's Point, imme-
diately." After laughing at Mr. Le^are's * ; unneces-
sary fears," as Captain Mathews termed this wise
90
remonstrance, he consented to the proposal, and Mr.
Legare left Ravenswood and went to join the Chap-
lin's Point guard. But his son, Lieutenant James
Legare, who had entered the American army as a
commissioned officer, at the early age of sixteen, and
was then a Lieutenant in that company, remained
with Captain Mathews, and along with him and the
rest, were that night surprised and taken prisoners
by the British, just as Mr. Legare had predicted to
Captain Mathews.
Ramsay's Revolutionary History gives the follow-
ing account of this affair : " While the British were
encamped on James' Island, about seventy or eighty
of the Americans were posted nearly opposite to
them at the plantation of Mr. Mathews on John's
Island. On the 20th of May, a party of the troops,
commanded by General Prevost crossed the narrow
river which separates the two islands, surprised the
out-sentinel of the Americans and extorted from him
the countersign. Possessed of the word, they ad-
vanced to the second sentinel, surprised and bayo-
netted him before he could give an alarm. Without
being discovered they then surrounded the house of
Mr. Mathews, rushed in on the unprepared Ameri-
cans and put several of them, though they made no
resistance, to the bayonet. Among the* rest, Mr.
Robert Barnwell, a young gentleman who adorned
a very respectable family by his many virtues, good
understanding and sweetness of manner, received no
less than seventeen wounds, but he had the good
fortune to recover from them all, and still lives an
ornament to his countrv. The British having com-
91
pleted this business, burned the bouse of Mr.
Mathews/'
The ruins of this old brick building, which was
the old Raven mansion, are still standing in a field
owned by the family of Mr. Ivinsey Burden, deceased.
The following particulars of the above named sur-
prise and capture, were received in after years by
the writer, from the lips of one of the officers and
two of the private soldiers, who were present on the
spot at the time of the surprise : They said that on
the evening of the 20th of May, Mr. Thomas Fen-
wick, a resident of John's Island, who was not as
yet suspected of being a Tory, went to the Ravens-
wood settlement on an apparently friendly visit to
the militia officers and soldiers, who were his neigh-
bors, and supped with them, and during the social
and unsuspected intercourse and entertainment of the
evening, he elicited many particulars, and, in taking-
leave, he obtained the countersign for the night.
The officers, stran^elv secure, considering the
vicinity of the British, and the warning which Mr.
Legare had given them, placed only two sentinels
on oruard and then retired to rest themselves ; while
the men, or a number of them, were distributed
about among the various buildings of the plantation,
and were all soon fast asleep. At midnight one
party of the British approached silently from the
river, having crossed it in boats, while another party,
who had crossed to Fenwiek's plantation, three miles
north of Ravenswood, advanced by land under the
£uidance of the Torv Torn Fenwick, who thus re-
turned to repay the hospitality and confidence of his
unsuspecting neighbors.
92
When the British appeared at the door of the
apartment in which Captain Barnwell and a number
of his men were, and demanded their surrender,
Captain Barnwell called out to know what quarter
they should have. " Xo quarter to rebels !" was the
reply. " Then, men, defend yourselves to the last —
Charge I" exclaimed Captain Barnwell. In an in-
stant the " click " of every gun was heard, as it was
presented in the faces of the enemy, who immedi-
atelv fell hack.
v
Presently, a sergeant of the British put his head
into the room, saying : " Surrender yourselves pris-
oners of war, and you shall have honorable quarter."
" What grade do you hold, and what authority have
you for the promise, if we accept the terms ?"
" I am but a sergeant in command, but my word
is as good as that of any officer in his Majesty's
service."
On this assurance, Captain Brrnwell and his men
surrendered their arms, and then immediately the
British soldiers commenced an attack upon them
with their bayonets, wounding them cruelly, partic-
ularly Barnwell and Barns, who were each pierced
by seventeen bayonet wounds.
A few of the men who were sleeping in the out-
houses escaped; for, being awakened from their
slumber by the noise, and finding out how the mat-
ter stood, they made their escape to the woods
before the British soldiers searched the out-houses
of the plantation — in the doing of which they found
some heavy sleepers, whom they took prisoners.
Mr. Benjamin Reynolds, of Wadmalaw Island,
was one of the few who escaped from the British on
93
that occasion ; and the following humorous account
. of his escape was given by him in the presence of
the writer, alter he had become quite an old man.
According to his statement of the affair, he was
sleeping in a house that was some distance from the
others, when he was aroused from sleep by the clash
of arms, the shouts of the assailants, and the cries
of the wounded, and guessing how the case stood,
without waiting to dress himself or even to secure
his weapons, he darted out of the house and ran to-
wards the interior of the island, intending to return
to his home on Wadmalaw Island.
Mr. Reynolds was, at that time, verv voung and
a stranger on John's Island. Before he had pro-
ceeded tar lie met another American militiaman,
whom he recognized as a fellow-soldier also making
his escape from the British, and hoping to be directed
or guided through the strange woods by him, he ap-
proached to join company with hini. But to hi>
farther consternation, Mr. , turned the muzzle
of his gun towards him, exclaiming in the negro-
dialect for which he was notorious :
" Who you V
" Ben. Reynolds ; do show me the way to the
Bugbv Bridge."
u Xo, you com yer, man ! you too white ; I shute
you, if\ou cum close me; go way, go way, I tell
you, you too white!"
- " Then, for Heaven's sake ! tell me which way I
must <£o!"
" Follow your nose and keep dead ahead/' replied
the other.
94
"With this indefinite direction, Mr. Reynolds
plunged into the woods, and about daylightfound
himself in the Bugby swamp, with scarcely a vestige
left upon his person of the white garment he had on
when he left Kavenswood, and with his limbs bleed-
ing from the scratches he had received from the
briar bushes.
After the surprise and capture of the militia com-
panies at Kavenswood, the whole of John's Island was
again left at the mercy of the British army, commu-
nication with Charleston was cut off, and the iami-
ilies of the planters, who had hitherto, spent the
sickly months of the summer in Charleston, were
now compelled to spend them on the plantations.
All of the men taken prisoners at Ravenswood were
removed to the British Camp, but the rest of the
male residents found on the Island were paroled to
their plantations under the penalty of death, if
known to go beyond their boundaries. Small de-
tachments of British soldiers were distributed about
the Island in every direction, and kept a strict watch
over it, and at the same time, they made excursions
in every quarter, searching for plunder, and seizin**
for themselves whatever appeared desirable in their
sight. But the officers of these soldiers bilk-ted them-
selves on the families they found most agreeable,
generally selecting those among whom they found
pleasant and pretty young ladies, to whom they paid
many polite attentions. Indeed, thai set of his Ma-
jesty's officers were noted for their kind aim 1 cour-
teous behavior to the inhabitants of the Island
generally; and after the war was over, several of the
95
higher grade of officers married and settled there,
becoming planters themselves.
Mr. Legare's old aunt, Mrs. Ellis, was at that time
living with his family on John's Island. She was
the youngest daughter of the Huguenot Legare — was
then in her eightieth year, and so infirm that she
had a white nurse to attend constantly upon her.
This old lady was very wealthy, and she had a large
quantity of silver plate, damask table linen, and
other valuables, packed away in large chests which
she insisted upon keeping constantly in her own
bed room, saying that was the safest place for them.
And yet this bed-room was on the first floor of the
house, with two entrances to it — one door opening
at the foot of the stairway, and the other opening
into the hall or public entrance of the house. And
it is remarkable that though her chamber was in
such a public situation, and the British soldiers in
their searches for plunder, frequently brushed
against the latches of her doors, yet they never once
entered her room, or even seemed to see the doors
that opened into it.
Mrs. Ellis was a great patriot in feeling; she was
also a woman of much prayer, and strong in faith,
Jthoromrhlv imbued with the spirit of the Huguenots.
It was her habit to go to prayer every time the
approach of the British soldiers was announced by
the watchword : " They are coming?" And on one
occasion, when she heard a British soldier swearing
with horrible blasphemous oaths, just outside of her
door, she arose from her prayers, opened her door
and reproved the man for his profanity. The soldier,
96
who had frequently been to the house before, looked
astonished at the sudden apparition, and after eyeing
her in silence for a few moments, he asked : "Where
the devil did you come from, old woman ? Go away
and mind your own business/' Mrs. Ellis closed
her door, and the man immediately left the house,
to the great relief of the other ladies whom he had
alarmed by his behavior.
But a very different character also lived in Mr.
Leo-are's fomilv— Miss Glado, the friend who had
assisted in rearing Mrs. Legare to womanhood after
the death of her mother, and had accompanied her
to her husband's home. This old lady, then ninety
years of age, but still active, was a thorough-going
Loyalist in feeling, who never would allow that the
Colonists had any right to free themselves from the
yoke of Great Britain. She was a person of warm
temperament, and old age had made her exceedingly
irritable. Whenever the British soldiers went to
the house on a plundering expedition, she did not
go to prayer as Mrs. Ellis did, but would begin to
reproach Mr. Legare's rebellion against the king of
England, as the cause of all their troubles; and then
turn about and scold the soldiers for disgracing
their king and themselves by such conduct. One
day a squad of these marauding British soldiers
went to Mr. Legare's house, and after they had even
searched the drawers and closets in the ladies' bed-
rooms, and taken all they wanted, one of the men put
his head into a little under-stair cuddy, about two
feet square, hoping to find more booty concealed
there. Xor was he quite mistaken, for old Miss
97
Glado had hidden all the children's shoe and knee
buckles in that place, supposing that no one would
expect to find anything valuable in an open closet
like that. And while the soldier was prosecuting
his search, old Miss Glado sat a short distance from
him, rocking her chair; and while she watched for
the result, she could not refrain from giving utter-
ance to her displeasure in a suppressed tone of anger :
M Thieving wretches ! And all this comes of rebellion !
Accursed robbers ! I hope that head of yours may
stiek last in that cuddy!*' But when she saw the
man draw forth all the silver shoe and knee buckles.
her wrath could no longer be restrained, but burst
forth in a tone of indignation : " Do you see that.
Betsy ! — the thieving devil has even stolen the chil-
dren's silver buckles!" In return for which, the
soldier cursed her, declaring that she was too old
and ugly to live, and a scold besides.
This was a party of McGirr s men, chiefly Scotch
Highlanders, and noted for their ferocity and bru-
tality. Just as they were leaving the house, Mr.
Legare rode up to it on horseback, and one of the
men immediately demanded his saddle, which he
refused to give up, and a struggle ensued. The sol-
dier drew his sword, but Mr. Legare still held on to
the saddle ; and Mrs. Legare seeing a British officer
approaching the house, ran out to him and begged
his interference, and he ordered the soldiers to leave
immediately, which they did.
AVhile such searches for plunder were frequently
going on, and every other part of the house ran-
sacked, Mrs. Ellis's bed-room remained undisturbed.
98
and her valuables undiscovered. Who can doubt
that a special providence thus preserved what she
had thus committed to God's special keeping?
While Mr. Legare was confined to his plantation
on parole, he was informed that misrepresentations
were being- made to Governor Rutledge, in Charles-
ton, accusing him of treachery to his country. He,
therefore, determined to go "to Charleston* at the
hazard of Ids life, and see the Governor in person.
Accordingly, he selected two trustworthy servants,
to row him to the city by night in a little boat, and
left his house on the plantation late in the evening,
without the knowledge of any one else excepting his
wife. He reached Charleston in safety, and had a
private conference with the Governor,* who assured
him that he had not for a moment believed the accu-
sation. And having concluded his business, and
received a passport from the Governor, Mr. Leo-are
set out on his return to John's Island at midnight
They crossed Ashley river, passed through James-
Island Cut, and went down Stono river on the
James' Island shore, and then crossed Stono river to
the mouth of the Abbepoola creek, which they en-
tered without having received any interruption Vrom
friend or foe. And then Mr. Legare laid himself
down in the bottom of the boat "to catch a few
minutes' repose, before he should commence his walk
back to his plantation. He directed his servants to
row the boat as quietly as possible up the creek to
their intended landing place; but, if they should see
any one or hear a noise, to stop rowing immediately
and awaken him.
99
According to his order, the boat advanced up the
Abhepoola creek until it came opposite to what is
now Captain AValpoIe's settlement, when they were
hailed by horsemen, and ordered ashore on that side.
The negroes instantly stopped their oars, and awoke
their master, who hade them turn the boat quietly
and put her into a little creek which they had just
passed on the same side, while he remained lvinsf in
the bottom of the boat to screen himself from the
view of his pursuers. The moon was shining very
brio-htlv, and they distinctly saw the British horse-
men on the opposite shore, who continued calling to
them and firing upon them in rapid succession. But
the hi^h marsh soon concealed the boat from view.
as it moved quickly up the windings of the little
creek, and they soon landed in safety at the rear of
the present village of Legareville, at that time, a
thickly wooded piece of land : from this port they
pushed forward on foot, being still some miles distant
from home.
They had proceeded as far as Holmes' plantation,
and were in the midst of an old field, where every
object was rendered distinctly visible bv the bright
light of the moon, when thev heard horsemen
rapidly approaching from the quarter to which they
were going. In this strait, Mr. Legare and his ser-
vants paused and looked about them a moment — the
woods were too distant to admit of their reaching
them soon enough, but they saw a large tree fallen
by the roadside, behind which they threw themselves
flat upon the ground, and just in time to conceal
themselves from the view of the British soldiers, who
100
rode by at full speed, and evidently in pursuit of
them. They then got up and ran across the field,
and through the woods till they reached home,
when Mr. Legare immediately undressed and went
into bed. But scarcely had he done so, when the
trampling of horses was heard around the house,
and Mrs. Legare, trembling with fear, hastily ripped
up one of the hearth-tiles, and hid her husband's
wet stockings under it. In a few minutes the sol-
diers were in the room, and accused Mr. Legare of
having been in Charleston, not that night, but two
day a before.
To this eharge Mr. Legare replied : " Were you
not here the dav before yesterday ? And did von not,
yourself, see me in this house ? how, then, could I
have been in Charlestown on that day V"
"Well, idid; but you have been in town — we
know it."
" AVho told you so ?" asked Mr. Legare.
" That is nothing to you ; you went to Charles-
town the dav before yesterday,."
" I did not go to Charlestown the dav before ves-
terday?" replied Mr. Legare.
After looking about the room awhile, the soldiers
left the house, and rode off to Mr. John Freers
house. From him they tried to find out if Mr. Le-
gare had been to town, but being himself ignorant
of the fact, Mr. Freer positively denied the charge.
At length, the leader of the party exclaimed : " We
never searched Mr. Legare for papers ! And if he
went to Charlestown, he could not have passed the
lines without a passport from Governor Rutledge on
101
his return." As soon as Mr. Freer heard this
remark, he placed refreshments before the soldiers.
And then, stepping aside, he directed a servant to
go quickly to Mr. Legare and tell him, that, if he
had any papers about him to burn them, for the
British were going: there to search him.
On the receipt of this message, Mr. Legare remem-
bered that he had the Governor's passport in his
pocket, and immediately threw it into the flames. It
was just consumed when the same party of British
soldiers, accompanied this time by an officer, again
rode up to the house. Mr. Legare went into his
piazza to receive them and the officer said to him :
" Mr. Legare, you were not in Charlestown the day
before yesterday, but you were there yesterday."
Mr.TLegare replied : * 4 Really, Captain, I think we
have had enough of this child's play,*' and then,
turning to one of the soldiers, he asked him : %t Were
you not here, yourself, for hours yesterday, and until
after sunset last evening ?" The soldier acknowledged
that such was the truth. And then Mr. Legare
added : " Come, gentlemen, our breakfast is on table,
and, to end this matter, walk in and take breakfast
with us." The officer assented, they went into the
-house and breakfasted with the family, talked and
laughed with Mr. Legare, and never again was the
subject of Mr. Legare's visit to Charlestown alluded
to by any of the British.
In after years, Mr. Legare often spoke with strong
emotions of gratitude to God, of his wonderful
escape on that occasion, and of the remarkable man-
ner in which God had, by the interposition of his
102
providence, turned the wisdom of the enemy into
foolishness; for, instead of sending that night first
to his house to ascertain if he were absent from
home, they sent their men to watch at the several
landing places for his arrival, and deferred going to
his house till near day-light, thus giving him time
and opportunity to go and return in safety: and then
they as strangely persisted in charging him with be-
ing absent frum his home at times when he could
prove by their own soldiers that he had been at
home, without once naming tht night that he had
actually gone to the city, and in which they were
watching for his return to John's Island; which, if
they had done, he could not have denied.
Shortly after this occurrence, Governor Rutledge
effected an exchange of prisoners, by which Doth
Mr. Legare and his son, Lieut. James Legare, were
placed at liberty, and they joined the American army
in Charlestowu, assisted in defending the town and
remained there during the sie^e.
But, as the interior of the State was then consid-
ered more secure than the sea islands, and the imme-
diate vicinity of Charlestowu, Mr. Legare removed
his family from John's Island to his plantation in the
parish of St. John's Berkeley, near Monek's Corner.
The Rev. Dr. Percy and family, Miss Rinchea
Elliott, Mrs. Percy's sister, and Miss Baker also ac-
companied them, and there they all lived together
in Mr. Legare's house, under Dr. Percy's care, until
after the fall of Charlestowu, Mr. Legare having
returned to Charlestowu to assist in its defence.
The Rev. Dr. Percy was an Episcopal clergyman
103
of the evangelical type, and was, afterwards, the first
rector of St. Paul's Church, in Charleston. He was
a native of England, and wasjirst sent out to preach
the gospel in Carolina by Lady Huntington. He
afterwards married Miss Elliott and settled in
Charleston. Though an Englishman by birth, his
sympathies were entirely with the Colonists of Amer-
ica in their struggle for independence, and he used
all his influence to encourage a spirit of patriotism
in the people, and to strengthen the soldiers in light-
ing for their country. He was intensely Enqlish in
nis ideas ot family 'UscipUne, which some condemned,
for at that early date the fc< Young America " of this
day, had already begun to assert its independence of
parental control. But Dr. Percy was a truly good
man, and a noble Christian character.
While these families were thus living together in
St. John's Berkeley, near MonckV corner, Lieut.
Col. William Washington and his body of cavalry
were surprised and defeated at Monck's Corner, by
Colonels Tarleton and Webster with a superior
force. The Americans were routed, about twenty-
five of them were killed and the fugitives hid them-
selves in the neighboring swamps, rather than sur-
render themselves prisoners to the British. A few
days after this defeat, a poor woman named Gibson,
who lived in the neighborhood, went to Mr. Legare's
house and told the family that some half-starved
American soldiers, " bloody as hogs," she said, had
gone to her house and begged for food, but she had
none to give them. " Then do go and bring them
here, for we have enough and to spare !" exclaimed
Dr. Percy.
104
The next morning several heads were seen peeping
out from the hashes. Mr. Legare's house was situ-
ated between the forks of the public road, and,
according' to the signal given to Mrs. Gibson for the
soldiers, Dr. Percy put on his ministerial robes and
walked out into the road. Then immedietely an
officer with two of his aids, came out of the woods
and asked for food. Dr. Percy invited them into
the house, and all the ladies — who were equally
anxious to help the sufferers — met them at the door
with kind greetings. Miss fiinchea Elliott, in her
earnest solicitude ahout her defeated countrymen,
stepped forward and asked with much feeling : "Can
you tell us, Sir, what has become of dear Colonel
Washington? Is he among the killed or wounded?'-'
With a polite bow, the officer responded to her
inquiry: "I am that unfortunate man, Madam!"
"Odear!" exclaimed Miss Elliott, drawing back
and blushing deeply.
Colonel Washington was a Virginian, (better
known afterwards as General William Washing-ton,
who married another Miss Elliott, the granddaugh-
ter of Mr. Joseph Stanyarne, of John's Island,) then
said to them : " I do, indeed, thank you all for your
sympathy and kindness to me, but most of my suf-
fering men have not tasted food for three days, and
are now lying in the woods faint from exhaustion/'
" Send and call them all here; we have had a large
supply of food prepared already, and can supply all
their wants," said Dr. Percy. On a signal given by
the officers, the soldiers came out of the woods and
up to the house, and while the ladies and servants
105
busied themselves in serving out refreshments to the
hungry officers and soldiers. Dr. Percy walked up
and down the road as sentinel, to give the signal of
alarm if the enemy should appear in sight, for they
were not far distant.
Some weeks after this occurrence, just as the family
had seated themselves at the breakfast table, the ap-
proach of Mrs. Gibson was announced. Poor Mrs.
Gibson was always the bearer of bad news, and a
feeling of anxietv immediately seized the whole
party — she entered the house exclaiming : " Good
people have you heard the news? Charleston has
fallen ! and the devilish British soldiers have already
cut to pieces all the men, all the cats, all the dogs,
and now they are coming here to kill all the women
and children I" The ladies were all terrified by her
incoherent and exaggerated statement, and Dr.
Percy cried out : " For shame ! Mrs. Gibson ; do
you not know that Mrs. Legare's husband and son
are both in Charlestown, and you will frighten her
to death with your wild talk?" Mrs. Gibson replied,
addressing Mrs. Legare : u Why, bless you, good
woman ! I have a husband and four so?is in the army
at Charlestown, and God only knows if any of them
are still alive, for I have not heard from them."
A few days after, Mrs. Gibson received the infor-
mation that her husband and four sons had all been
killed during the siege of Charlestown. And thus,
the poor woman was, by one stroke left alone — wid-
owed and childless. Alas ! what sorrows follow in
the train of war !
106
After the fall of Charleston, Mr. Legare again be-
eame a prisoner on parole. At first, the British
authorities were very mild in their treatment of their
prisoners, hoping thus to win them to submission ;
and Mr. Legare obtained permission, in the month
of June, to go and visit his family, from whom he
had not heard for several months. To do this, he
was obliged to walk all the way up to his plantation
in ^t. John's Berkeley, where he found them all well
and still in possession of an abundance of the neces-
saries of life. But the next morning after his arri-
val, a troop of " Tarlton's brutal corps,"' as they had
been justly stigmatized for their ferocious character,
rode up to the door and took from them every-
thing eatable that they could find in the house. In
vain the ladies pleaded to have some provisions left
for them, and Mr. Legare, taking his own children
and Dr. Percy's children, carried them all out to the
commanding officer, and asked him if he would
leave all these little ones to starve. Coldly eyeing
the group of children, the officer replied with an
oath, " Rebels had better starve than the kind's
troops."
Finding that starvation only awaited them there
now, Mr. Legare and Dr. Percy determined to
remove their families to Charlestown. But as small-
pox was then an epidemic in the town, thev had
every member of the household innoculated, who
had not previously had that dire disease ; after which,
they all embarked on board of a schooner, and thus
the entire party returned to Charleston.
Mr. Legare's town residence was occupied by
107
British officers, and be was obliged to take bis fam-
ily to Mrs. Ellis's house in Broad Street, was after-
wards owned and occupied by the Misses Ramsay.
On the first fioor of this bouse several British offi-
cers were quartered, and among them, Dr. Turnbull,
who was a native of Greece, but at that time
attached to the British army. In the upper part of
the house old Mrs. Ellis was allowed to remain, and
the house being large, Mr. Legare's family there
found a resting place for a season. There they all
had the small-pox, and there Mr. Legare was taken
sick with the countrv fever, which he had contracted
in his walk through the sickly country up to St.
John's Berkeley. After awhile they were all restored
to health, excepting Mr. Legare, who continued to
sutler through the summer from paroxysms of fever.
The situation of the citizens of Charlestown be-
came very trying at this time. Dr. Ramsay, in his
Revolutionary History, says :
" The common soldiers of the British army, from
their sufrerincrs and services during the sieire, eon-
ceived themselves entitled to a licensed plunder of
the town. That their murmurings might be southed.
the offieers connived at their reimbursing themselves
for their fatigues and dangers at the expense of the
citizens. Every private house had one or more of
the officers or privates of the royal army quartered
upon them. In providing for their comfort, or
accommodation, very little attention was paid to the
convenience of families. The insolence and disor-
derly conduct of persons thus forced upon the citi-
zens, were, in manv instances, intolerable to freemen
108
heretofore accustomed to ba masters in their own
houses." u For slight offences, and on partial and
insufficient information citizens were confined by the
orders of Lieut. Col. Xisbit Balfour, one of the com-
mandants, and that often without any trial. The
place allotted for securing them being the middle
part of the -cellar under the Exchange, was called
the Provost. The dampness of this unwholsome
spot, together with the want of a lire-place, caused
among the sufferers some deaths, and much sickness.
In it the American State-prisoner, and the British
felon shared the same fate. The former, though, for
the most part, charged with nothing more than an
active execution of the laws of the State, or of hav-
ing spoken words disrespectful, or injurious to the
British officers, or government, or of corresponding
with the Americans, suffered indignities and distress
in common with those who were accused of crimes
tending to subvert the peace and existence of
society."
Dr. Ramsay farther states, that : " On the 27th of
August, thirty-six of the citizens " — whose names he
gives along with his own name — " were taken up
early in the morning out of their houses and beds,
by armed men, and brought to the Exchange, from
whence, when they were collected together, they
were removed to the Sandwich guard-ship, and in a
few days transported to St. Augustine. The manner
in which the order was executed was not less painful
to the feelings of gentlemen, than the order itself
was inglorious to the rights of prisoners entitled to
the benefits of a capitulation. Guards were left at
109
their respective houses. The private papers of some
of them were examined. Reports were immediately
circulated to their disadvantage, and every circum-
stance managed so as to give a general impression
that they were apprehended for violating their
paroles, and for concerting a scheme for burning the
town and massacreingthe loyal subjects."— Page 370.
Dr. David Ramsay's first wife was the grand:
daughter of old Mrs. Ellis. She died childless — he
afterwards married a daughter of Henry Laurens,
the statesman of Revolutionary fame ; but at that
time he was a widower, and lived next door to the
house in which Mrs. Ellis lived, with whom Mr. Le-
ffare and his family were then residing. And, when
the British soldiers went to arrest Dr. Ramsay, as
stated above, the ladies of Mr. Legare's family were
assembled in an upper balcony of Mrs. Ellis's house,
looking on, and of course, sympathizing deeply with
their oppressed and insulted fellow-citizen and friend.
Among these ladies stood a Mrs. Gordon, who was
on a visit to them. This lady was herself a native
of England, and had become notorious for the un-
feminine fearlessness with which she upbraided the
British officers and soldiers for their injustice and
cruelty to their prisoners ; and, of course, she soon
became herself an object of persecution. When Dr.
Ramsay came out of his house with a small bundle
of clothing under his arm, and surrounded by twelve
armed soldiers, Mrs. Gordon called out aloud: "Only
look at that ! twelve armed British soldiers to carry
one poor rebel across the street! you dastardly
cowards!" The soldiers looked up at the balcony
110
and cursed her. The ladies all implored her to be
quiet, and not to exasperate their enemies by such
remarks, and old Mrs. Glado said to old Mrs." Ellis:
''If you do not turn that wretched woman out of
this house, her tongue will bring us all into trouble/'
Mrs. Gordon replied: "0 you chicken-hearted set
of patriots! Well, if I cannot talk here. I will go
where I can talk — good morning ladies!" and away
she Went.
Sure enough, Mrs. Gordon's tongue did bring
them trouble, for the next morning before breakfast,
a party of British soldiers entered Mr. Legare's bed-
room to arrest him, also, and carry him to the Pro-
vost prison. Mr. Legare was sick in bed with the
fever, and told them that he was too sick to go.
They replied roughly: " Come, come, none of your
excuses."" Mr. Legare immediately dressed himself,
took leave of hi> distressed family, and accompanied
the guard to the prison-vault, where his sufferings
as an invalid were very great. Old Mrs. Ellis sunk
into despondency under this last trial. The next day
she visited Mr. Legare. in the prison, and. putting a
large sum of money into his hand-, she said to him:
*' Xow that they have taken from me my last earthly
props, Dr. Ramsay and yourself — I will go home and
die." Then, after having taken an affecting leave of
her dear nephew, to whom she was greatly attached,
Mrs. Ellis went back to her house, and a few days
after gently passed away ami went to her eternal
rest in heaven.
Xor did Mrs. Gordon altogether escape. On the
same day that Mr. Legare was arrested, a party of
Ill
soldiers were sent to arrest her. She heard they
were in pursuit of her, and hastily put on her hat to
go out and seek a place of concealment for herself.
As the soldiers reached the door of the house in
which she was living and knocked for admittance,
she opened it. They asked : "Does one Mrs. Gor-
don live here ?" Mrs. Gordon replied : " You had
better go inside and inquire there." And while they
walkcd in she walked out on fleet feet, and concealed
herself so effectually in the house of a friend, that
they never found her.
In the autumn of the same year, Mr. Legare was
removed from the Provost prison, and sent on board
of one of the prison ships anchored in the harbor,
along with his son. Lieut. James Legare, Mr. John
Bee Holmes, Mr. John Edwards, Mr. Job Palmer.
Rev. Mr. Edmonds, and many others. As usual
on such occasions, a great crowd of citizens as-
sembled to see them leave the wharf in boats, and
among the rest were a number of ladies. Just as
the prisoners, sad and dispirited, were moving off
from the shore, while the crowd looked on in solemn
silence and tears, Miss Martin (who afterwards mar-
ried Captain Lewis Ogier), ascended to the top of
the earthen fortification at the foot of the wharf,
took off her bonnet and waived it high in the air.
exclaiming: "Courage! thy brave countrymen!
keep up your spirits! there are better days ahead!*"
The prisoners, aroused from their sadness, answered
with three loud cheers, which the crowd took up
and repeated. But this proceeding enraged the
British officers and soldiers, who were doing all they
112
could to crush out the patriotism of their prisoners,
and some were for proceeding to violence, but were
restrained by those in command, and so the patriotic
young girl escaped with only curses against her rebel
spirit— a spirit which, nevertheless, seemed to flourish
most when most trampled upon, as a Southern ma-
tron told a British officer.
The prison-ships of the British were anchored in
the harbor of Charleston, between Castle Pinckney
and Sullivan's Island, and there they remained till
the following June, when the ships were ordered
on to Virginia by the British authorities in Charles-
ton, who circulated the statement that the prisoners
were sent to Virginia to be exchanged ; but what
their real intention was in sending them away, will
80on appear by the result.
After Mr. Legare had been removed to the ship
in the harbor, his family left the town and went to
the plantation on John's Island, and from thence
Mrs. Legare went once in every fortnight to visit her
husband aboard of the prison -ship. These little
voyages she performed in a small row-boat, accom-
panied by her sons Thomas and Solomon, then
young lads about fourteen and ten years of age.
Mrs. Legare had always been exceedingly afraid of
rough water, but now, duty and affection overcame
the strength of her fear, and led her to hazard this
sometimes dangerous navigation for a little boat, for
the gratification of seeing and conversing with her "
husband and son for a few hours. And as long as
she was permitted to visit them, she kept up her
spirits with heroic fortitude under all her other trials.
113
At length, however, a stop was put to even this
occasional intercourse, which had then been carried
on for six months. Some of the ladies from Charles-
town, who visited the prison -ships, had very impru-
dently, and as unseasonably, taken music along with
them, and had tried to get up a dance with some of
the American prisoners, on board of one of the ships.
This proceeding was intended as a defiance from
them to the enemy ; but it was as unwise a measure
as it was an ill-timed amusement, and it reacted
upon themselves and others in painful effects : for
the British, angered bv such conduct in the few, for-
bade any farther intercourse between the prisoners
and their families. Xor were ladies ever after
allowed to go aboard of any prison -ship.
Ignorant of the recent prohibition, Mrs. Legare
went as usual to visit her husband and son in
Charleston harbor, but when she arrived alongside
of the prison -ship, was denied the privilege of see-
ing them. In vain she pleaded that she had never
offended, or mingled with the dancing people. The
officers said they were sorry for her disappointment,
but their orders excluded every lady, and they could
make no exception in her favor. Then Mrs. Legare
was obliged to return to her home on John's Island,
sick at heart and filled with agonizing fears for the
safety of her husband and son. This disappointment,
together with the fatigue and exposure for so many
hours to the heat of a meridian sun in the month of
May, brought^ on a violent fever, and when she
reached the plantation, she was put into bed extremely
ill. For weeks she continued so ill that her recoverv
114
was despaired of. Old Miss Glado, who had always
nursed her in sickness so tenderly and faithfully, had
recently died, and to complete their distress, her two
little daughters, Catharine and Mary, were also taken
ill with country fever. But kind neighbors and
faithful servants nursed them day and night through-
out this severe ordeal.
Just at this juncture— " in May, 1781, a general
exchange of prisoners was agreed to, in which the
militia on both sides were respectively exchanged
for each other. Notwithstanding every difficulty, a
considerable number of the inhabitants had perse-
veringly refused to become British subjects. These
being exchanged were delivered at the American
ports of Virginia and Pennsylvania. Great were
the exultations of the suffering friends of Independ-
ence, at the prospect of being released from confine-
ment and restored to activity in their country's cause,
but these pleasing prospects were obscured by the
distress brought upon their families by this otherwise
desirable event, for they were all ordered to quit the
town and province before the first (lav of August
next."— Ramsay's History of the Revolution.
The prison -ship in which Mr. Legare and his son
were confined, was ordered to sail for Virginia in
June, 1781. A few days before the ship left the
harbor, Mr. John Freer went to Charleston and
obtained permission to visit Mr. Legare, when he
used every argument in his power to persuade Mr.
Legare to take protection from the British, and
return to his family. Mr. Legare maintained that
the Americans were engaged in a just and righteous
115
cause, and that God would yet help them to estab-
lish their Independence — nor would he forsake the
cause of his suffering country. Mr. Freer then told
him of the illness of his wife and daughters, and
of the probability there was that he would never
again see them, if he persisted in his determination.
This information was a heavy blow to Mr. Legare,
and moved him to tears, but still he continued tirni,
and Mr. Freer, at his request, returned to Charleston
and obtained permission for Mr. Legare to visit his
family.
The British Commandant sent to the ship for Mr.
Legare, and giving him a passport, told him to go
and visit his family on John's Island. Mr. Legare
inquired to what time his absence from the ship must
be limited. The Commandant replied : * ; You are
aware, Mr. Legare, that the ship is to leave the har-
bor to-morrow at twelve o'clock, and I depend upon
your honor to return in time to go in her to Virginia/**
Mr. Legare left Charleston immediately, and arrived
on the plantation in the evening. As he entered his
wife's bed-room a sad spectacle met his view — in one
bed lay his two little daughters, both very ill, and
on the other side of the room in another bed, lay
his unconscious wife. A faithful servant, Chloe, was
bending over her with tender solicitude, and bathing
her fevered temples with cold water, while two kind
friends, Mrs. St. John and Mrs. William Stanyarne,
were administering to the wants of his suffering
children.
Mrs. Legare had been in a stupor for hours, from
which they had found it impossible to awaken her to
116
consciousness, hut the sound of her husband's voice
calling to her in accents of tenderness and love,
aroused her to consciousness— she opened her eyes
and recognized him, and from that moment she
began to revive. Mr. Legare sat and watched by
her side until the day began to dawn, when- he told
her that he was then obliged to leave and return to
the ship before she sailed out of the harbor. Shocked
at this information, Mrs. Legare looked up into her
husband's tace with an expression of anguish, ask-
ing: "Oh, can you go and leave me thus?" But,
recollecting in a moment that she was urging him
thus to break his pledged word of honor, she added
with heroic fortitude : " Yes, my husband : go, go
at the call of duty and honor ; and may God be with
you!"
^ Having committed his loved ones to the care of
his and their heavenly Father, and having taken a
very sad leave of them, fearing that they would
never meet again in this world, Mr. Legare with
an aching heart, set out on his return to the prison -
ship. But, after he had gone a mile or two from
home, while his heart was engaged in fervent prayer
to God, a passage of Scripture was applied to his
soul with such power as to raise him from his
depression, and he was comforted with a firm assu-
rance that all would end well, and that he should be
again restored to his family in safety. ~
Mr. Legare afterwards told this, and added the
assertion : " That he had never, from that hour again
had a doubt or a feeling of despondency about his
family's restoration to health, so greatly was his faith
and hope strengthened."
117
True faith in GocVs promises always puts men upon
using the means which lie within their power for
the accomplishment of those promises, and if they
do not do this, they tempt God rather than trust Him,
for God usually works bv men and means.
According to this principle, Mr. Legare was desir-
ous of having his family removed to the city till the
sickly season should be over, therefore he went first
to Charlestown and called to see Dr. Turnbull, who
was still living in the house that had belonged to
old Mrs. Ellis, which house she had in her will
bequeathed to Mr. Legare. Mr. Legare requested
Dr. Turnbull to allow his family to occupy the third
story as they had done before. Dr. Turnbull acknowl-
edged that it was a hard case for a man to be denied
admittance to Ma own house, under such circum-
stances, but, he added : " It is more than I dare do
to bring them here, for it would certainly bring me
into collision with the British authorities. But, if
you can get lodging for them elsewhere in the town.
I will attend vour family as their physican, and do
all in my power to assist them."
Mr. Legare's time was too limited to admit of his
doing more than calling upon an old friend, Mrs.
Roupelle, whom he requested to hire rooms for his
family, if it were possible to obtain them in the
crowded town. And Mr. Freer undertook to bring
them to Charlestown as soon as lodgings could be
procured. Mr. Legare then returned to the prison -
ship and sailed in her to Virginia.
Mrs. Roupelle immediately set out in search of
lod^in^s for Mrs. Le£are, and after much difficulty
•'
118
succeeded in obtaining but one small room near her
own house— which was at the corner of Tradd and
Friend streets, and already crowded by British offi-
cers quartered there. And to this one room, Mr.
Freer conveyed the sick family of Mr. Legare. Mrs.
Legare, her two sick little daughters, and two young
sons, were all crowded into that one room, just large
enough to hold three beds and one table in the
midst. Two faithful female servants, Chloe and
Phillis, who were both devotedly attached to the
family, had accompanied them from the country and
still nursed them faithfully. But the weather was
exceedinglv hot, and Dr. Turnbull said Mrs. Legare
would certainly die if she continued in that place.
Mrs. Roupelle and another friend, therefore, went
again in pursuit of more comfortable loddn^s, and
at length succeeded in obtaining two rooms in King
street, to which Mrs. Legare and her children were
again removed.
Thus Mrs. Legare — who was the owner of a large
property and really the mistress of three large
houses in the town, then occupied by British officers,
with the greatest difficulty, procured a miserable
lodging place for herself and children in their
extremity. Such were the trials of that day ! But
how little do those who are surrounded by all the
luxuries and elegancies of life, ever realize what our
ancestors endured, or even pause to think of the
trials, privations and sufferings which they cheerfully
submitted to, in order to secure that civil and reli-
gious liberty, which we are now enjoying.
Scarcely had Mrs. Legare recovered from the
119
country fever before she and her children were
ordered into exile — to leave the town and province
and £0 to Pennsylvania, along with manv other fam-
ilies of those gentlemen whom they had sent to Vir-
ginia as prisoners, to be exchanged. Mrs. Legare's
two faithful servants, Chloe and Phillis, immediately
begged her to take them along with her, to which
she gladly assented. And in the month of July.
Mrs. Legare and her four children — Thomas, Solo-
mon, Catharine and Mary, together with the two
servants who smuggled themselves into the ship, and
with a large number of other ladies and children,
were all compelled to embark and crowded aboard
of an old leaky vessel, which was put under the com-
mand of a man almost wholly ignorant of sea-navi-
gation. In this piteous condition the vessel was
sent off to Philadelphia, and there is no doubt that
the British authorities in Charlestown, thus arranged
every particular of this inhuman proceeding with
the deliberate design that the vessel should be
wrecked, and all on board of her be drowned in the
ocean. But God took care of them and in His good
providence defeated the intentions of the enemy, for
thev were carried through all the dangers thev
encountered safely into their destined port.
Among these helpless and distressed exiles from
their own homes was the family of Mr. Job Palmer:
Mrs. Palmer was in daily expectation of her accouch-
ment, and pleaded to be allowed to remain at her
home for only a few weeks longer. But regardless
alike of her pitiable situation and her tearful entrea-
ties, she was compelled to embark for Philadelphia
at once.
120
They had a most dangerous voyage, during which
they encountered much stormy weather, which
frightened the Captain in command so greatly, that
he begged an aged sea-captmn who was on board of
the vessel, to take his place and command the ship.
This old sea-captain was himself one of the exiles
who had been driven from Charlestown by the
British, and he, after some hearty curses upon the
enemy for their brutality to helpless women and
children, and upon the "land -lubber of a Captain,"
who had undertaken a responsibility that he was
utterly incompetent to fulfil, took command and suc-
ceeded in guiding the crazy vessel through its perils
into the port of Philadelphia. Shortly after the
arrival of the exiles in Philadelphia, the Rev. Benja-
min Palmer, D. D., (since pastor of the Circular
Church, in Charleston, S. C) was born, while his
mother was an exile in a strange city, and his father,
in company with Mr. Legare and others, were mak-
ing the best progress they could back to Charleston,
under the impression that their families were still
there, where, some weeks before, they had left them.
AVe will now return to the prison -ship on board
of which these gentlemen had been sent in the
month of June, as was said, to be exchanged as pris-
oners of Avar in Virginia. But when the ship
arrived at the mouth of James river, the prisoners
were all landed on a desolate sand -bank, which was
separated from the main land by a wide and deep
channel of water. The prisoners remonstrated
against such a murderous proceeding, and claimed
their rights as prisoners of war. But the command-
121
er of the ship declared that such had been his pri-
vate instructions, and he dared not disobey them.
And on that desolate sand -hank, out of sight and
hearing of assistance from the land, the ship left
them all, without a drop of water or a mouthful of
food. The prisoners, seeing nothing before them but
the horrors of starvation, gave themselves up for
lost. Most of them sat down in despair, but Mr.
Legare's faith and hope in God's help led him to
expect deliverance, and set him to searching out
some means of deliverance or escape from their peril-
ous position. Taking his son and Mr. Palmer with
him, he walked all around the bank, and at length
discovered the end of a small boat projecting out of
the sand on the beach, on the side next to the shore.
They three dug the boat out and found it sound and
water-tight, with the exception of one hole in the
bottom made by a bullet fired through it. They
stopped the hole with some of their clothing, and
then the whole party escaped from the sand -bank to
the main land, crossing the intervening channel two
or three at a time. Once on the soil of Virginia,
thev soon found friends both willing and able to
assist them.
As soon afterwards as they could procure horses,
Mr. Legare, his son, Lieut. James Legare, Mr. Pal-
mer, Mr. John Bee Holmes, and Mr. John Edwards,
set off together to return bv land to Charleston, S.
C, supposing that their families were still living
there. And they reached Goosecreek, S. C, before
they had received any tidings from home, and there
they met Mrs. William Elliott. Mrs. Elliott was
122
the last friend Mr. Legare had spoken to when
he was leaving his native State some weeks before,
and now she was the lirst he met on his return to
Carolina. On meeting them, Mrs. Elliott exclaimed :
" Why, Mr. Legare ! where are you going to ? Do
you know, gentlemen, that the British have exiled
all of your families, and sent them all to Philadel-
phia by sea ?" And then she related the particulars
of the proceeding to them. Shocked at this infor-
mation, and remembering the perfidious and cruel
treatment which they had themselves just received
from the enemy, they were ■ filled with the most
anxious solicitude for the safety of their loved ones.
Bidding their sympathizing friend, Mrs. Elliott, a
sad adieu, they immediately turned their horses'
heads, and, with heavy hearts, commenced to retrace
their steps northward.
They had not proceeded far on their way before
they met Governor Rutledge, who invited them to
ride up 10 his plantation and refresh themselves
before they went farther, which they did, resting
only a few hours, and declining his pressing invita-
tion to stay longer, on account of the intense anxiety
they felt to know the fate of their families. Gover-
nor Rutledge delivered to Mr. Legare's care some
government papers, which he requested him to
deliver to Congress at the State House in Philadel-
phia. And then they started afresh on their
journey.
WTiile they were traveling through Virginia, th'ev
met a number of gentlemen assembled at a public
house for the transaction of business, with whom
123
thev were invited to dine. During the soeial eon-
versation at the dinner -table, some of the Virginians
were expressing a wish for certain table luxuries
which the war-times denied them, and Mr. Legare
replied to them : "Well, the greatest luxury which
I crave now is a fine apple and a slice of good
wheaten bread and butter, neither of which have I
tasted for many months.'' One of the gentlemen
present, who was a perfect stranger to Mr. Legare,
immediately said to him: "If you will do me the
favor, sir, of accompanying me to my plantation this
evening, you and your traveling companions shall
have both at breakfast to-morrow morning." Mr.
Legare thanked him for his kind invitation, but,
hearing that they must sro three miles out of their
road to accept of it, he courteously declined it on
that account. But the gentleman urs:ed their accept-
ance of the invitation so much, that they felt con-
strained to accompany him to his home, and were
sumptuously entertained that night in his handsome
residence by himself and family.
The next morning his polite host requested Mr.
Legare to accompany him to his stable, and asked
him to point out the horse which he considered the
best. Mr. Legare then pointed out a beautiful ani-
mal as the finest horse there. And the gentleman
responded : " Xow, sir, you must do me the favor to
accept of that horse — I perceive that you are badly
mounted for a journey, and your tired horse will
never carry you to Philadelphia." Mr. Legare
thanked him for his kindness, but insisted that he
could not take the handsome horse. " Then, sir, if
124
you will not accept of that horse, choose another, for
a horse from my stable you must and shall have."
Finding his host so much in earnest, Mr. Legare
told him that he would gratefully accept of a strong
but less valuable horse, on condition that he would
receive his note for the value of the horse, which
note Mr. Legare would pay whenever he should
recover his property out of the hands of the enemy.
The srentleman consented to the arrangement, and
Mr. Legrare was accordingly mounted on a tine,
strong horse. They then bade adieu to their kind
host — but in parting he presented Mr. Legare with
a letter of introduction to his father-in-law, whose
door they must pass the next evening.
This gentleman also received them with great
kindness, and insisted on their spending the night
under his roof. And the next morning when they
were taking leave, their host put a large sum of
money into Mr. Legare's hand, telling him that it
had been sent there for him. Mr. Legare replied :
" My dear sir ! this is too much kindness — it over-
powers me ; Indeed, I cannot receive this !" His
host replied : " But, indeed, sir, you must take it —
my son-in-law sent it for you, and has charged me
not to let you go without it. He says, you have still
a long journey before you, and he is sure that you
will need it before you reach Philadelphia." Deeply
affected by the kindness and delicacy of these
stranger-friends, Mr. Legare thankfully accepted the
money, which they greatly needed. This sum of
money paid the expenses of the whole party of five
gentlemen all the way to Philadelphia. And after
125
Mr. Legare's return to Carolina, he refunded both
this sum and the value of the horse, with many
thanks to the kind friends whom Providence had
raised up for him in a strange region, and in an hour
of verv great need.
It is greatly to be regretted that the names of these
two gentlemen are involved in some uneertaintv in
the minds of those now Hcing, who received the
recital from the lips of two of the traveling party,
and therefore, we reluctantly forbear giving them.
As soon as they reached Philadelphia, Mr. Legare
rode directly to the State House and delivered the
papers intrusted to his care by Governor Rutledge.
And there he found out from some of the gentlemen
where their several families had obtained lodgings
in the city, and then, very soon, each and every one
of them was in the midst of his own loved ones,
who were overjoyed at their arrival.
During the residence of these exiled families in
Philadelphia their difficulties and trials were very
great, and they were often reduced to want — for be
it remembered, that all their property and resources
were in the hands of their enemies, and all commu-
nication between them and friends at home was cut
off. But God took care of them, watched over them
and in many ways provided for their necessities, as
they afterwards testified.
Many were the merciful provisions and interposi-
tions of Divine Providence, in behalf of Mr. Legare's
family in their times of extremity, some of which
we will here relate for the encouragement of those
126
who put their trust in God, and yet may be reduced to
the lil<< 4 straits for the trial of their faith, for many
Mich there are at this day.
On one occasion, Mr. Legare went to market and
expended the last piece of money he had, to pur-
chase a dinner for his family, not knowing- from
whence the next day's provision would come. He
was returning home feelina* anxious about it, and
//// iitnlli/ engaged in prayer, when he met General
Uohertcleau. Mr. Legare had corresponded with
this gentleman on church matters, before the war
began, but they were personalty unknown to each
other till Mr. Legare's arrival in Philadelphia, when
General Kobertdeau called to see Mr. Legare, and
renewed the acquaintance in person. General Rob-
crtdcau on this day, stopped Mr. Legare in the
street and said to him : 4i My friend, situated as you
are, with all of your property in the hands of the
enetnv, and vour family in a strange eitv, I am sure
you must be in need of funds; allow me, therefore,
the pleasure of contributing to your present necessity
with this sum." And so saying; he put some gold
pieces into the hand of Mr. Legare, who gratefully
received it, acknowledging that he had just expended
the last cent he had.
When the above supply gave out, the family were
again reduced to want, and then there came a Mr.
Gilbert from Xew Jersey, who brought Mr. Legare
a large sum of monev, saying to him: " Mr. Legare,
some years ago I went to Carolina a poor man, in
want, and without friends. But you, pitying my cir-
cumstances, allowed me to cut ship-timber on your
127
land and build myself a ship, and afterwards you
refused to take a eent from me in payment of that
timber. Little did I think then that you would ever
need my aid, or that I should ever have it in my
power to return kindness to you. But now, Provi-
dence has given me such an opportunity — I am well
off in the world, have enough and to spare — and
you must receive this money, for it is onlv vour
due." Here was an illustration of a Bible precept
with a promise attached to it : " Cast thy bread upon
the waters, for thou shalt lind it after many days. 7 '
Again — after all that money was expended, Mr.
Legare's family was reduced to great necessity, and
he tried to borrow money* from the Treasury. They
agreed to lend the money, provided, that when he
should return to Carolina, he would leave the two-
slaves he had in Philadelphia, Chloe and Phillis, as
hostages until the money was returned to the Treas-
urv. But, when they were asked if thev were wil-
ling to stay in Philadelphia, both Chloe and Phillis
refused to be left, saying — thev would either ero
back with their mistress to Carolina, or run away
and go after her as soon as they could. And their
master and mistress told them not to distress them-
selves about it — for they would trust God to provide
for them in some other wav, rather than have them
there against their own will, especially too, after all
their faithfulness and devotion to the family in their
times of suffering and distress. This assurance com-
forted them, but Mrs. Legare's spirits were greatly
depressed about their sad condition, and she began
to weep.
128
On the contrary, Mr. Legare expressed a very
strong assurance that "their Covenant God, who had
already done such strange things for their relief,
would again manifest Hrs care for them in some way
or other, through and by His providence. And he
said with a smile to Mrs. Legare: 4k Drv vour tears,
my dear wife, and be hopeful, for ' the Lord will pro-
vide!" While he was thus trying to comfort his
fainting companion in tribulation, they heard a
knocking at the street door. M r. Legare opened the
door himself and saw a gentleman, then holding a
public office in Philadelphia, who said to him : kk Mr.
Legare, a large sum of money has been forwarded
tor you, from Carolina — I do not know who sent it r
but by calling at mv office vou will receive it."
This sum of money not only supplied their pres-
ent necessity, but was sufficient to pay all their
expenses in traveling back to Carolina, as well as to
provide the wagons and horses that were needed to
convey the family to their home in the South. But
it was not till after their return to Carolina, that
they could find out from whom the money came —
and then they heard from Mr. John Freer, the fol-
lowing singular history of it:
After Mr. Legare's family left the plantation on
John's Island, and went to reside in Charleston,
most of the negroes continued to work the lands
under Mr. Freer s direction, and made a very large
crop of corn. As soon as the crop was harvested,
the British sent an officer with a party of soldiers, to
take it all away from them. The negroes told the
British that the corn belonged to Mr. Freer, and
129
they sent to call Mr. Freer, who immediately went
to the spot and elaimed the corn. He told the
British officer that he had loaned the provisions to
these negroes, and therefore the crop properly
belonged to himself. The officer replied : " That as
Mr. Freer was a loyal subject to the king, he would
pay him the value of the corn, provided Mr. Freer
could bring a proper witness to prove his claim."'
And instantly one of the British soldiers in the party,
who was an entire stranger to Mr. Freer, started up
and said : - I will swear to the fact ! for I know
that the whole crop belongs to Mr. Freer." On this
assertion, the officer, without farther demur, paid
Mr. Freer in gold, the full value of the whole crop:
and this was the money which had been so mysteri-
ously forwarded bv Mr. Freer, through a eroverri-
ment conveyance, to Mr. Legare in Philadelphia.
and which proved such a merciful provision for the
family in a time of great need.
Thus, through various instrumentalities, and in
wonderful ways, did God, in his providence, supply
the wants of his trusting children, under their many
and severe trials. And finally he brought them
home in safety from their wanderings as exiles, and
restored to them the most of theii; possessions.
Shortly after Mr. Legare had received the last
named sum of money, the inhabitants of the citv of
Philadelphia were aroused at midnight by the joyful
cries of the watchmen in every direction, proclaim-
ing the news of the defeat of Lord Cornwallis, at
Yorktown, Virginia, which occurred October 19th.
130
1781 — and which event virtually closed the war.
The watchmen received the news from the lips of
the express courier, who came with dispatches from
General Washington to the government, and rode
through the city to the State House, at that hour
proclaiming ami repeating in a loud voice as he
passed along the streets — " Cornwallis is taken !
Cornwallis is taken !" The watchmen along the
streets caught up the joyful news and shouted it
forth again in their loudest tones, till the streets
echoed and re-echoed the joyful sounds. The Dutch
watchman, who was stationed under Mr. Legare/s
window, bawled out in broken English : " Half-bast
twelfe o'clock ! and Gornwallis e daken !" Mr. Le-
gare instantly leaped from his bed, and raised the
window-sash, asking: "What ho! friend, did you
say that Cornwallis is taken prisoner?'' ik Yaw !"'
responded the Dutchman, and then burst out into a
merry Dutch song.
In less than a half-hour the whole city was in com-
motion : bells were rinsTing merrilv, cannon firing
off a salute, persons running to and fro, and accla-
mations of joy were heard on every side.
And then quickly the exiled families began to
prepare for their journey homeward. Mr. Legare
purchased two large wagons and teams to convey his
family and servants back to Carolina. The wagon
in which his family rode, Mr. Legare drove himself,
and his son Thomas drove the baggage wagon —
Lieut. James Legare had joined General Washing-
ton's army as soon as he had reached Pennsylvania,
and remained in that division of the army till peace
was declared, and the armv was disbanded.
131
Several others of the exiled families — among these
was the family of Dr. Joseph Johnson's parents, he
being at that time quite young, but old enough to
remember all these details — -joined Mr. Legare's fam-
ily in their return journey to Carolina — all of them
riding in wagons, whieh was indeed, the only way in
which they could travel at that time. And thus
they formed a traveling caravan in the day, and at
night they encamped by the road-side, or in the
woods, all keeping near together for their mutual
protection. The ladies and children slept in their
wagons, and one of the party with the dogs, kept
guard and watched the camp around while the others
slept
Traveling in this style they came all the way from
Philadelphia, and reached their homes in South Car-
olina in perfect safety.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Legare lived for many years
after their return to South Carolina, at the close of
the war. Mrs. Legare died in February, 1798, aged
sixty-three vears. An account of her life and death
has already been given in the foregoing pages. Mr.
Legare only survived his wife three vears. About
a year after her death, their youngest son, Solomon,
(Hon. Hugh Swinton Legare's father) died, after
lingering for many weeks through a nervous fever,
and left a widow and three small children. Mr.
Legare constantly wept over the death of this child,
concerning whom he refused to be comforted. This
constant weeping brought on a disease of the throat,
whieh ended his davs two vears after his son's death,
and prevented his either swallowing nourishment,
132
or articulating a word for (lavs before his death.
Mr. Lesrare died A. I). 1801, a^ed sixtv-ei«rht vears.
Mr. Legare's death was soon followed by that of his
eldest daughter, Catharine — who was a great-grand-
daughter of the Huguenot Legare, and second wife
of the Rev. Isaac Stockton Keith, D. D. This lady
died two vears after her father's death, at the as:e of
thirty, and as her husband wrote to his sister, "of a
consumption of the nervous class, under which she
languished till the loth May, 1803, when, on the
morning of the Lord's dav, she left me and her other
relatives and friends here in the house of mourning,
and triumphantly entered upon the enjoyment of
that everlasting Sabbath, which is celebrated by the
spirits of the just made perfect in glory. To her,
'to die was indeed gain,' but to me, how great is
the loss !" Her husband adds in the same letter :
"And under the influence of a steadfast faith, and
lively hope in Christ, and in the cheering prospect of
that eternal life, which God has in and through
Christ promised to believers, she was enabled to
view the certain, steady, solemn approach of death,
with an undismayed heart ; and not onlv so, but with
an ardent desire to depart that she might be with
her Saviour and God. At different times within the
week before her death, she said : ' O that the blessed
hour were come ! that it might be this night, or
this moment, if such were the will of God, for then
I shall be happy, happy, happy !'" — See Keith's Works,
page 269.
Mrs. Keith was death-struck on . Thursday, when
immediately a powerful death-sweat burst from every
133
pore, and fell from her fae2 and hands in large drops,
wetting her clothes so thoroughly that she desired
her sister, (now Mrs. Kinsey Burden,) to bring her a
change of clothing. But when she returned with
them to the bed-side, Mrs. Keith, with the utmost
calmness said : " Let it alone, Polly ; Mrs. Thomas
savs it is not worth while disturbing me now, to
change, for it will soon be over, she thinks " — mean-
ing that she would soon expire : but she lingered in
death till the following Sabbath morning. On Sat-
urday night Miss Legare, leaving her cousin, Miss
Hendlin and other friends with her sister, retired to
'seek repose in another room, and returned about
day lioht. On entering she saw her sister lying with
her eyes closed and her hands clasped, apparently in
prayer, but perceiving by her hurried breathing that
tjietide of life was ebbing fast, she placed her hand
upou the dying pulse. As she did so, Mrs. Keith
opened her eyes and said : " Polly, my throat is very
sore ; go down stairs, my dear sister, and prepare a
mop to wash it."
Miss Legare hurried off to do what her sister had
requested, and returning with the mop found her
lying in the same position. Mrs. Keith again opened
her "eyes, and looking tenderly at her sister, said :
"What, have you returned so soon? Go, my dear,
and tell Dr. Keith that he will not be able to preach
to-day, but ask him to write and request Dr. Hol-
lingshead to pray for a speedy dismissal for me."
Miss Legare then saw that her sister wished to
spare her the sight of her last struggle, and running
hastily to Dr. Keith's study, she exclaimed : " Come,
134
quickly. Dr. Keith ; our dear Kitty is now going
rapidly!'' Then hastening back to the chamber of
death, entered it as her sister expired — aged thirty.
Twenty-seven years after the death of Mrs. Keith,
the gammons of death next arrived for her eldest
surviving brother, Mr. James Legare, who had, for
manv vears, lived a srodlv life, as a member of the
church of Christ, and a zealous and devoted officer
of the churches with which he was personally
connected.
He died of paralysis, combined with cancerous
affections of his system, under which his physical
sufferings were intense, and his mental powers much
impaired. The actings of his mind towards the last
were disordered, and at times he appeared unable to
penetrate the gloom ot the dark valley through
which he passed down to Jordan's stream. The day
before he died, being very restless, an old friend at
his bedside, asked what ailed him, to which he
replied : " Oh ! I am passing through the dark, dark
valley of the shadow of death." Some time after
he said: "I have now got to the end of that dark
vallev, and again behold the sun of righteousness !"
He evinced much concern about the salvation of his
only surviving son, who had not then professed faith
in Christ, as his daughter had, and taking his hand
between his own hands, he cried : " Take hold on
Jesus, my son" — and, " James, be faithful, be
faithful, be faithful to the Church, as I have been !"
He died January, 1830 — aged sixty-eight.
Next followed his younger brother, Mr. Thomas
Legare, who had also been a Christian for many
135
vears. and was Ions: an active member and officer of
the churches with which he was personally con-
nected, both in the city and in the country. He
also died after a lingering illness of some months,
under which his sufferings were very great, and his
mental powers greatly impaired. He departed this
life in July, 1842, aged seventv-six.
The youngest and last surviving child of Mr.
Thomas Legare and his wife Eliza Basnett — Mary
Legare, who was afterwards Mrs. Kinsey Burden,
Sr., survived her brother Thomas ten vears, and
died on the 12th of June, 1852, aged seventy-seven
years.
This lady was still-born and supposed to be dead:
she was, therefore, laid aside for burial; while the
sister, who was twinned with her, being a line,
strong, healthv-lookino; child, was carefully dressed
and nursed. Some time after, the uurse heard a fee-
ble, little cry, like that of a kitten's, proceeding from
the little still-born infant, and found that it was alive.
She laid it upon a pillow, for it was too small to be
carried about in any other way; and being too feeble
to nurse, milk was dropped into its mouth from a
spoon for some weeks before it became able to take
its nourishment in the usual way. In this way, the
little Mary, who was small enough at her birth to
be held in a quart-mug, survived through the perils
of a feeble infancy, while her larger and healthy-
looking twin-sister died a few hours after her birth.
And though so feeble in her infancy, that same little
Mary afterwards enjoyed a great share of health and
strength through a long life of seventy-seven years,
136
and outlived every other member of her father's
family.
Some weeks before Mrs. Mary Legare Burden's
last sickness, she told her husband, Mr. Kinsey
Burden, Sr., that the time of her departure was at
hand, and requested him to remove her at once from
the plantation on John's Island, to the house of her
daughter, Mrs. Eliza Fludd, in Charleston, under
whose roof she wished to die. She was then in her
usual health, but her husband complied immediately
with her request, and accordingly, she arrived at
her daughter's house, in Charleston, about the middle
of Mav. On meeting her daughter, she said : "Well,
my darling child, according to my promise, I have
come to you to die, for I know that the hour of my
departure is near at hand." She was cheerful, well
enough to attend church on the next Sabbath and to
take a dailv drive in her carriage, vet still insisted
that the hour of her departure from earth was near,
and spoke frequently of the heavenly joy in reserve
for the people of God. On the last Sabbath of her
life she attended church services in the Circular
Church where she heard a stranger minister preach
a delightful sermon on the subject of the family
relation on earth, as ordained of God, to be typical
of the whole family of God in Heaven.
This sermon made such a deep and pleasing im-
pression on her mind as led her to speak of it several
times to her children and grandchildren. The next
day she was taken sick with symptoms which soon
ended in pneumonia, and closed her earthly life in a
few days. The evening before her death, seeing
137
everyone of her children and grandchildren assem-
bled in her room, with a loving smile she called them
around her bed and took leave of them all — again
she referred to the sermon she had heard but a few-
days before, and expressed the hope that when we
all should meet again in Heaven — it would be as an
Unbroken family circle, u around the throne of God
in odorv" — from which none would be absent, who
was then present. She then admonished them all
to love each other, to bear with each other's failings
and never to allow anything whatever to enter among
them as a separating wedge to divide the family.
Then giving them her blessing, she ceased speaking
from exhaustion. A night of great physical suffer-
ing ensued, and at sunrise the next morning she
expired. The following truthful obituary notice is
taken from the Charleston papers, and was written
by her pastor, on John's Island — the Rev. A. Flinn
Dickson :
" Obituary. — Departed this life on Saturday, the
12th of June, 18.32, in Charleston, in the seventy-
seventh vear of her a^e, Mrs. Marv L. Burden,
wife of Mr. Kinsey Burden, Sr., and youngest and
last surviving child ot Thomas Legare, Sr., who
deceased in 1801."
This venerable lady possessed many of those traits
which distinguished her Huguenot and Puritan
ancestrv, modified bv the circumstance of sex, and
the softer age in which she lived. Ardent in dispo-
sition, sincerity and truthfulness formed the founda-
tion of her character. Candid in the expression of
her opinions, she never hesitated to remonstrate with
138
those whom she thought had not dealt rightlj with
her ; hut having done so, she was as ready as ever
to exhibit towards them that kindness which marked
her intercourse with all. A sincere believer in those
religious opinions in which she had been educated,
and ever ready to profess her attachment to, and
preference for them ; no shade of bigotry mingled
in her religion. To love the Lord Jesus Christ in
sincerity, to acknowledge Him as their God and Sa-
viour, was, with her, to be of the same ;i household
of faith."
Like her Huguenot and Puritan fathers, she had
a firm faith in a special Providence, and this, more
than all things else, appeared to comfort her in the
trials and disappointments of life. And, no wonder
that such was the case, for, apart from the teachings
of scripture, she delighted to tell of many instances,
handed down in the family, from generation to gen-
eration, where God's interposing hand was mani-
fested for the care and preservation of his servants.
Born in the dawn of the Revolution, cradled amidst
its distresses and privations, its scenes made an indel-
ible impression upon her childhood. Preserving a
vivid recollection of its sutferings and losses, she
fully appreciated the importance of the struggle in
which they were incurred, and as she recounted the
tales of those times, one could understand how con-
doling a part the women of South Carolina acted in
that great drama ; and though not claiming to be a
Spartan mother, she ever taught her children that in
the cause of liberty, as in the cause of religion, the
path of duty was the path of safety.
139
Early in life she became the professed follower of
Jesus Christ, and for near sixty years adorned that
profession by a consistent life and fervid piety. The
companions of her youth were the friends of her
riper years, and she was the last of a band, distin-
guished by many virtues, and whose mutual friend-
ship even the snows of age -could not chill.
She was much "given to hospitality,'' and the
wayfarer and stranger were never turned from her
door. To the entire community in which she lived,
she was deeply endeared, and to the last of her
life sedulously cultivated the pleasures of rational life
and society — it being a maxim with her, that we
should never live to ourselves.
To the aged partner of her life, her removal is an
unspeakable grief; separation after so long a union
must be bitter in any ca-e, but doubly so, when one
is taken who was a helpmeet indeed. To her chil-
dren, her loss can never be repaired. The tender
cares, the devoted and indulgent love which she lav-
ished upon their infancy and childhood, have only
been exchanged for the most solicitous affection, as
they advanced in life. She made their troubles and
trials hers. She wept over their sorrows and
over their pleasures. Themselves the heads of fam-
ilies, they looked up to her as a part of their com-
mon head, and fondly hoped tHat that cheerful and
loving countenance would not be hidden from them
yet a while. To them the word "mother" will ever
be associated with the most holy and tender emotion
of the heart. Xot to eulogise the dead whose praise
is with all who knew her, but rather to portray her
140
character for the emulation and veneration of her de-
scendants, to teach them what they must be, if they
would be like her, is this record inscribed to her
memory. -May her virtues live in her children's
children to the latest generation ! May the fear of
God be their distinguishing characteristic, as it was
hers, and (hose from whom she was descended. May
they never substitute for it a miserable expediency,
the offspring of the fear of man and of conformity
to the world.
I will here narrate a touching incident which
occurred while our dear mother was lying a corpse
in the third-story room where she died — that room
having been her favorite apartment of all in the
house, was fitted up for her special accommodation,
and called " grandmother's room." A number of
her negroes from the plantation on John's Island,
had come to the city to attend her funeral, and came
up to her bed room to take their farewell look at
their beloved mistress ; the stair-way was lined with
them ascending and descending — as one set left,
another entered the room of death, silently weeping.
In the midst of this mournful arrav, a strange voice
was heard ascending the stairs and asking in broken
English : " Where is the s;ood lady ?" Immediately
after a poor Italian entered the room and approached
the bier ; he threw himself upon his knees by the
side of the lifeless bodv, and bursting into a flood of
tears, lifted the cold hand of rav sainted mother to
his lips and covered it with kisses and tears, saying :
" let me kiss, for the last time, this dear hand that so
141
often fed me and mine — 0, ladv, srood, crood lady, vonr
rest is sweet; God bless you!*' Then rising from
his knees, he descended the stairs, weeping bitterly
as he went. At the funeral he again appeared in the
throng and, with a badge of mourning on, followed
in the procession with the servants.
This poor Italian, with his wife and child, had a few
years before been shipwrecked in Stono inlet, the
planters around had assisted and provided them with
a home and the necessaries of life. Our dear mother
had often supplied them with clothing and food,
and always had a kind word for the poor stranger,
who had taken up his abode upon the Island as a
fisherman. On hearing of mv mother's illness, he
had traveled many miles to show his gratitude and
affection to his benefactress, but arrived too late
to see her in life, and thus expressed his grief at her
death.
Dear, dear mother ! many mourned and lamented
thy departure from earth, and thy " works do follow
thee !" But, though the cold clay be turned to dust
and lie silent in the grave, thy children can never
forget thee, nor thy precious counsels and example.
Mav they ever live before us in all their freshness
and beautv !
Mrs. Mary Le^are Burden was the last survivor of
the fourth generation from the Huguenot Solomon
Legare. She was also the last survivor of the cara-
van-party, who, as related before, at the close of the
Revolutionary war, returned from their exile in
Philadelphia, to their homes in South Carolina. Mrs.
Burden was, at that time, a verv young °:irl, but old
142
enough to remember and be deeply impressed by all
the occurrences of their sojourn in Philadelphia, and
of their journey homeward, as well as by many of
the preceding incidents of that eventful period, from
the very commencement of the war itself, and often
delighted her children, grandchildren, and their youth-
ful friends, with her animated and vivid recitals of the
scenes she had witnessed, and of the feelings which
she and others had endured under the circumstances
which she related.
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